(CNN) -- Voters in Venezuela headed to the polls Sunday to decide 165 seats out of 167 in the country's National Assembly.
Even though Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is not on the ballot, he casts a large shadow over the elections. His ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) holds 137 seats, and he has taken an active role in this year's campaign.
Despite one of the highest murder rates in Latin America and an economy that is just beginning to recover from a recession, Chavez maintains support among many of the country's poor.
But that support isn't as strong as it once was. Venezuela has also faced electricity shortages and other infrastructure problems that could make Chavez's party more vulnerable than in the past.
CNN
