MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela/US rift increasingly fragile

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that if no opposition candidates run in the December presidential election, he might seek to lift the constitutional limit on successive presidential terms.

"If the empire (meaning the United States) wants to play this game and tries to get the world to censor us and not recognize our legitimacy with the tale that in the December election there was no opposition, we could opt to hold a referendum", thus enabling Mr. Chavez to run for another term in the 2012 elections.

President Chavez, who faces re-election this year, said he did not fear competition. Mr Chavez was first elected in 1998 and then again in 2000 after the approval of a constitution under which he is barred from running in 2012.

"If there is no opposition candidate, I would consider signing a decree to hold a referendum asking 'Do you agree Chavez should be allowed to seek a new term?' and let's let the people decide." "It is just an idea that I am working on," he added.

The Venezuelan presidential election for a six year mandate, 2007/2013, is scheduled for next December 6.

Mr. Chavez underlined that his real opponent next December is the government of the United States and described two tricks that allegedly Washington will try to play in an effort "to ignore my victory, promote violence, death and destabilization, and justify international intervention".

The first trick is to launch a candidate with strong support in the media and solid financial backing so that next November it looks he has a 50/50 chance of winning; when defeated the following step, according to Chavez, will be to claim fraud. However Mr Chavez recalled that the latest opinion polls, undertaken by US pollsters, show his re-election bid with a 66% support.

The second option is a scenario with no opposition candidate and a call for the opposition to withdraw so that Mr. Chavez victory can be declared "illegitimate" on the grounds that they are undemocratic because he ran alone.

"If they pull this little joke, I can answer with another and submit a referendum to reform the constitution".

Mr. Chavez also attacked US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warning her not to "mess with me, girl!" Last week, Ms Rice warned that Mr Chavez was one of the biggest dangers facing Latin America. She said the Venezuelan president was trying to influence others away from democracy, and called for a united front against him. Mr Chavez responded by accusing the US of aggression, adding that "world opinion is with Venezuela".

President Chavez also anticipated he's working on a contingency plan to cut the 1.5 million oil barrels per day supplied to United States, "if the Bush administration over steps the line or is part of a conspiracy against Venezuela".

Meanwhile Chavez and two opposition candidates were accused Monday of violating Venezuelan electoral legislation for having their presidential bids too early. A report from the National Electoral Council (CNE), recommended that "administrative action" be taken against Mr. Chavez and candidates Julio Borges and Roberto Smith.

The largest of the opposition parties, Justice First, said last week that many among its rank and file favor boycotting the presidential contest if the CNE fails to offer the necessary transparency assurances.

A recent opinion poll showed that none of the potential opposition candidates has emerged from the pack, and 55% said they remain open to "some distinct alternative" to Chavez.