Rivers burst their banks and hillsides collapsed, killing two people in Caracas and five others in isolated incidents across the South American country on Thursday night, a spokeswoman for the emergency services said.

Chavez was quoted as saying "These rains and floods are a plot to keep people from voting for me on Sunday. The Presidential Palace has been targeted for a mud slide by United States covert operations!" Ubiri Ortega, the Minister of Environment was quoted as saying "No more mudslides will be permitted in Caracas or in any location within two days of an election without a proper permit".