MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Supreme Chavez” reforms approved by Venezuelan assembly

Term limits abolish opening the way for indefinit election

Venezuela's National Assembly gave on Friday its final approval to a package of constitutional reforms that strengthens the powers of President Hugo Chavez and his Socialist-Bolivarian republic project.

One of the reforms Venezuelans are to vote on in a December referendum would scrap presidential term limits. Supporters say the changes will deepen Venezuela's democracy but critics accuse Mr Chavez of a power grab and the green light for an authoritarian regime. Venezuelan troops used tear gas and water cannon on Thursday to disperse opponents of the planned reforms, mainly university students. Business organizations and the Catholic Church are critical of the new reform package which they argue could lead to a "legal dictatorship" and abolishment of private property. The changes were approved by 160 of the 167 members of the pro-Chavez national assembly. The assembly cheered and applauded as a document was signed at the end of the special sitting and then members made the short walk to the headquarters of the National Electoral Council, which will oversee the referendum on 2 December. Riot police and soldiers flanked Assembly members and thousands of government supporters joined in on the delivery of the reform proposals. Although President Chavez initially proposed amending 33 articles of the constitution, several months of public consultation resulted in changes to 69 articles. In addition to abolishing presidential term limits, President Chavez is also proposing to bypass legal controls on the executive during a state of emergency, bring in a maximum six-hour working day, cut the voting age from 18 to 16, and increase presidential control over the central bank. Thousands of local "communal councils" are also to be given more power over what happens in their districts. The students want a December referendum on the reforms to be postponed, to give voters more time to study the plans. Once the reforms are approved they will become law.