Caracas.– President Hugo Chavez's political mentor – who once persuaded the fiery leader to seek power through elections after he led a failed coup – now says the regime has "all the characteristics of a dictatorial government."

Luis Miquilena, who helped guide Chavez to his initial 1998 election win and later was his interior minister, spoke out Tuesday five years after he left Chavez's Cabinet, while hundreds of government opponents held a separate protest over a congressional measure that would grant Chavez broad powers to pass laws by decree.

"This is a government with a hypocritical authoritarianism that tries to sell the world certain democratic appearances," said the 87-year-old Miquilena, who has maintained a low profile since resigning from Chavez's government in early 2002.

"The government is not abiding by any rule. It has all the characteristics of a dictatorial government," Miquilena told reporters during a ceremony at the newspaper El Nacional, which is highly critical of the government.

Chavez, who was re-elected by a wide margin last month, says he is committed to democracy and is overseeing changes that will give a greater voice in decision-making to poor Venezuelans. He regularly accuses his opponents of being backed by the United States, but he does not often refer to Miquilena.

Since his re-election, Chavez has accelerated plans to nationalize electrical and telecommunications companies, and is expected next week to be granted special powers by lawmakers to pass various laws by decree for 18 months.

Some 400 to 500 protesters, blowing whistles and waving flags, voiced their opposition to that bill in a peaceful protest in Caracas on Tuesday.

Lawmakers in the entirely pro-Chavez National Assembly, meanwhile, announced they would postpone until next Tuesday a session to approve the so-called "enabling law" allowing Chavez to enact laws by decree in areas from the economy to defense.

Plans announced by Chavez so far include nationalizing the country's main telecommunications company and imposing new taxes on the rich.