El Presidente Hugo Chavez lost in a referendum election to change the Venezuelan Constitution and allow him to run for a third term, eliminating term limits completely. The referendum would also have allowed him to suspend the constitution whenever he felt like it. In order to garner support, the referendum also would have shortened the work-day to 6 hours and would have given pensions to street vendors and housewives.
The referendum was defeated 51% to 49% and Chavez quickly called admitted defeat and called for calm ... earning him some statesmanship points. He had promised last week to cut off oil to the United States if the referendum passed and the US objected to the outcome of the election, so I was wondering what would happen if he lost.
But do not pop the champagne corks yet, Chavez will still be in power till 2010. In that time, I'm sure that this referendum will once again (maybe twice or thrice) rear its' ugly head. It only needs to be passed one time for the possibility of a President for life. Chavez has pledged to find another way to pass his reform plans.
But for now, we can take solace in the fact that 51% of Venezuelans don't want to give up democracy. I'm thinking that it is probably a bigger number ... but Chavez underestimated how much he had to stuff the ballot box in order to win.
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10 comments:
ok I wont celebrate but the news is promising is it not~!:)
El Presidente
El Presidente Chavez remains the man in charge. And I expect him to continue the tuff talk agains Los Imperialistas Yanquis. Glad to see him losing, but I was surprised to watch him on the Latino Television accepting defeat and asking from his supporters to remain calm or mantener la calma. Have a productive week.
cfs
anything promising is worth celebrating immediately :)
Keshi.
lets hope the people of venezuela continue to speak loudly.
What? Not everyone wants communism? I thought they did? That is what I lurned in skuol!
Oops I meant a communist dictator.
They might be fine with communism...they just aren't sure about Chavez!
Oh, my! And here I was, sure that after the very encouraging concession speeches, Father Chavez would 'ride off into the sunset', never to return!(rofl)
Ms. PollyAnna
angel ... yes, very promising indeed.
cfs ... Right, as I said, he earned some points with that speach.
keshi ... o-kay, you can party hardy.
lime ... amen to that
rev ... even some of his leftist friends were uncomfortable with the reforms. They didn't mind being communist, but they wanted to remain free.
inspired ... Chavez will not go quietly, he feels he still has time to accomplish his goal of dictatorship.
As they say, don't hold your breath
Paul, glad to see this happen....Now we wait until next time.....People will wise up and do something. Wait...They have tasted freedom, they just like it with socialism that's all.....All they have to do is look at past socialistic countries and see who is broke..... stay well.....
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