Pro-Chavez Lawmakers Give Nod to Radical Constitutional Changes
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
August 22, 2007
(CNSNews.com) - In a "unanimous" decision, Venezuela's National
Assembly has given initial approval to constitutional changes being
pushed by President Hugo Chavez that will, among other things, allow
him to extend his tenure in office indefinitely.
The text of the
proposed changes was then submitted to a parliamentary commission,
which will present a report ahead of a second debate, the official ABN
news agency reported.
The 167-seat National Assembly is held
entirely by pro-Chavez parties; the main opposition parties boycotted
2005 elections, citing irregularities.
ABN quoted parliamentary
president Cilia Flores as saying it should be possible to modify 33 of
the constitution's 350 articles in three months. The changes would have
to be approved in a national referendum.
The changes, put
forward by Chavez last week, seek to transform Venezuela into a
socialist state. They include eliminating the current two-term limit
for the president, ending the autonomy of the country's central bank,
extending the state's power to expropriate property, and limiting the
workday to six hours.
The populist leader, who was elected in
1998 and re-elected in 2006, aims to unify Latin American countries and
counter United States influence through his "Bolivarian Alternative for
the Americas," currently supported by Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua and
Ecuador.
Popular among many low-income Venezuelans because of
social welfare spending programs, Chavez this year has moved to
consolidate his grip on power by restricting independent media,
nationalizing power and telecommunications companies, and ordering
state-controlled oil company PdVSA to take majority control of crude
oil projects, forcing out U.S. giants ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips.
Chavez
spoke earlier this month about a need to break away from the "classic"
executive, legislative and judicial system and "go towards popular
power,' through an envisaged system of "communal councils."
He
also has introduced the concept of "socialist cities," comprising
communes which he says would be productive but not in the service of
capitalism or consumerism. Construction work on the first such project
began last month, north of Caracas.
Chavez has proposed the
establishment of a new mega-political party that will amalgamate all
parties that support his "socialist, Bolivarian" revolution. The new
United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) aims to be, in Chavez's
words, "the great political party of the 21st century."
Chavez
has made it clear that the proposed ending of term limits will apply
only to the president, not to other levels of government. Responding to
requests by some parties for governors and mayors also to be able to
stand for indefinite re-election, he rejected the idea, saying it could
lead to the emergence of "regional caudillos" (military strongmen).
A
massive campaign to win public support for the constitutional changes
has now begun. Pro-Chavez media report that the text of the proposed
changes is being distributed to every household by a network of
"promoters," and that there are plans for "street parliaments" aimed at
encouraging a "yes" vote in the referendum.
Venezuelans living
abroad will be encouraged to participate, with activities to be carried
out by diplomatic missions, parliamentary friendship groups and
Venezuelan solidarity organizations.
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