lish ment ▁candidate ▁after ▁accepting ▁the ▁end ors ement ▁of ▁CO PE I . ▁The ▁other ▁early ▁leading ▁candidate , ▁the ▁former ▁Democratic ▁Action ▁leader ▁Cla udio ▁F erm ín , ▁reached ▁ 3 5 % ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁but ▁fell ▁to ▁ 6 % ▁by ▁April ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁it ▁then ▁became ▁increasing ly ▁clear ▁that ▁the ▁campaign ▁was ▁a ▁race ▁between ▁Henri que ▁Sal as ▁Rö mer ▁and ▁Hugo ▁Ch á vez . ▁Sal as ▁Rö mer , ▁the ▁governor ▁of ▁Car ab ob o ▁and ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Pro yect o ▁Venezuela ▁party , ▁appeared ▁a ▁cred ible ▁candidate ▁as ▁S ae z ▁lost ▁ground , ▁and ▁reached ▁ 2 1 % ▁in ▁the ▁pol ls ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁However ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁Ch á vez ' s ▁own ▁campaign ▁gained ▁ground ▁as ▁he ▁established ▁himself ▁with ▁the ▁elect or ate . ▁From ▁around ▁ 5 % ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁to ▁over ▁ 1 0 % ▁in ▁late ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Ch á vez ▁registered ▁ 3 0 % ▁in ▁pol ls ▁taken ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 8 ; ▁by ▁August ▁he ▁was ▁register ing ▁ 3 9 %. ▁ ▁The ▁Ch á vez ▁platform ▁compr ised ▁three ▁basic ▁p led ges . ▁First , ▁Ch á vez ▁promised ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁begin