CARACAS, Feb. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- The United States will try to impose a candidate who will act in its interests in Venezuela's December presidential election, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Sunday.

    In his Sunday television and radio program, Alo Presidente, Chavez said Washington was going to be his main opponent at the Dec. 3 election.

    In order to avoid accusations of winning the election improperly, he aims to gain 10 million votes from a population of 15 million registered voters, he said.

    "We will need a lot of cunning, intelligence, work and strategy to beat the United States, because it is already actively engaged in plays to sabotage the election, which elects a president for the period of 2007 to 2013," Chavez added.

    He also stated that the United States would try two strategies to unseat him, including "merciless attacks," while the other move would be to try to create the impression that Chavez and the opposition candidate were running neck and neck, or even that his rival was five points ahead.

    Venezuela does not seek a war with the United States, but it must prepare itself for the possibility, Chavez said.

    "We have to be ready, because, as the adage says 'if you want peace, prepare for war'," Chavez told listeners.

    "We have increased the consciousness of world public opinion and The Empire will not find it easy to confront half the planet. It is no longer easy to invade a country. Look at what is happening in Iraq," he stressed.

    Relations between Venezuela and the United States, which Chavez calls The Empire, entered a new confrontational phase last week, after Venezuelan secret services discovered a leak of secret documents from Venezuelan armed forces to the U.S. government and expelled a U.S. naval attache. Enditem