Constitutional Debate
Opens Political Year in
Venezuela
Caracas - Political year
will begin tomorrow in
Venezuela with President
Hugo Chavez´ followers
resuming the collection
of signatures in support
of a constitutional
amendment to establish
endless presidential
reelection.
Such political panorama
is not new in a country
where more than 10
elections or referendums
have been held in the
last decade, marking the
difference between
Chavez supporters and
adversaries.
About 4.7 million
signatures have already
been collected since the
United Socialist Party
of Venezuela (PSUV)
presented the initiative
in Parliament at the end
of 2008.
If the amendment is
passed in the
referendum, Chavez will
be able to run again for
president in 2012, as
his supporters want. His
endless reelection would
guarantee the continuity
of the Socialist changes
Chavez is planning to
implement in 2009, they
claim.
The endless reelection
initiative was already
passed by the National
Assembly, which should
vote it again Jan. 8-13.
After that step, the
bill will go to the
National Election
Council, which has 30
days to call a
referendum on the issue. |
