Chavez vows to put "revolution" back on track

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez promised on Saturday to tackle poor garbage collection and high crime in a bid to win back support for his socialist "revolution," which was hurt in a poll defeat a few weeks ago.

Seemingly taking on board common criticism of his performance, Chavez said it was unacceptable that garbage was piling up uncollected in some parts of capital city Caracas, and acknowledged people were worried about crime.

"Yesterday I had to call the vice president and order an emergency meeting about the garbage situation," he said. "How is it possible that a government can't collect the trash?"

Caracas' garbage problem overflowed in December, with drifts of rotting rubbish blocking sidewalks.

Chavez also made reference to protests this week against violent crime, a issue his government has often claimed is exaggerated by the opposition.

Widespread gun ownership and inept policing contribute to Venezuela's murder rate, which is one of the world's highest.

Chavez spent much of 2007 working on political "reforms" that would have allowed him to run for reelection indefinitely and given him sweeping powers to build a socialist state.

His plan was defeated in a referendum earlier this month in part because of growing dissatisfaction among his supporters with corruption, insecurity and even shortages of products like milk in the oil-rich nation.

In an unannounced telephone call to a chat show on state television, Chavez promised things would be different in 2008.

"We are going to make this year one of truly deep revision, of rectification and of revitalizing the revolutionary process," he said.

CORRUPTION IS "A CANCER"

Chavez is still hugely popular among Venezuela's poor, about half the population, who are grateful for new health clinics, pension schemes and subsidized food.

He has enjoyed a boost in the last few days with international attention to his efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Colombian Marxist rebels. Three hostages may be set free in the next few days.

Chavez, an outspoken critic of the United States, has long faced fierce opposition from middle class and wealthy sectors of society, including a coup that briefly expelled him from power in 2002.

But anger has also been rising among traditional supporters, including some who are uncomfortable with apparent corruption and the ostentatious wealth of some of Chavez's colleagues and allies.

"It's a cancer," he said in reference to corruption. "We inherited it but we cannot stay with this cancer our whole lives. Either we defeat it, or it defeats us."

The United States arrested three Venezuelans two weeks ago in a case involving $800,000 cash a American-Venezuelan businessman tried to smuggle into Argentina.

The United States alleges the money was sent by the Chavez government as a secret contribution to the election campaign of recently sworn in President Cristina Fernandez.

(Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel, editing by Todd Eastham)