Venezuela President Hugo Chavez rallied hundreds of thousands of supporters in Caracas on Sunday as he kicked off an electoral campaign vowing victory in an August referendum on his rule.

Crowds of his sympathizers packed a Caracas avenue in a carpet of flags and banners and shot off fireworks as the populist leader vowed to fight at the ballot box for his self-styled revolution for the poor.

"Some say they don't want a battle, but we do want a battle, an electoral battle," Chavez roared from a stage. "Follow me then, on to victory."

After a year-long opposition campaign, electoral authorities last week ruled they would allow a vote against Chavez, a left-wing retired army officer portrayed by foes as an authoritarian strongman eager to copy Cuban communism.

Chavez, first elected in 1998 and again in 2000, has predicted another election victory and says most Venezuelans back his efforts to better distribute the oil wealth of the world's No. 5 crude exporter.

The firebrand leader's rule has been marked by more than two years of bitter confrontation and strained relations with the United States, a major buyer of Venezuelan oil. Two years ago he survived a coup and later weathered an oil strike.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and the Organization of American States helped broker an accord a year ago that recognized the referendum as the best exit to the crisis.

Electoral officials have yet to set the exact vote date.

Most polls show Chavez would lose a recall, but one recent survey showed he could win as backing for the opposition has splintered. He dismisses polls as biased and has stepped up spending on health and education programs that could bolster his support ahead of any vote.

"Chavez has the majority because his ideas are directed at the poor, the people most marginalized over the last 40 years," said Luis Guanchez, a subway engineer at the Caracas march.

But opponents say the Chavez government has failed to address poverty and criticize his harsh rhetoric for inflaming tensions between the social classes.

Electoral officials are scheduled this week to announce the date for the referendum, a crucial factor for the opposition. They are pressing for an Aug. 8 vote.

Under the constitution, if the referendum is held after Aug. 19 and Chavez loses, his vice president -- a loyal ally -- will become acting president until elections in December 2006.

But if Chavez loses a recall before Aug. 19, new elections will be held within 30 days. The constitution is not clear on whether Chavez can immediately run again, a disputed point that could be decided by the Supreme Court.

Source: Agencies