MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

A divided Venezuela by Chavez reforms takes to the streets

Thousands of “Chavistas” marched in Caracas

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans marched through the capital Caracas on Sunday, in a show of support for the constitution reforms that will greatly expand President Hugo Chavez's executive powers and eliminate presidential term limits allowing him to run for re-election indefinitely.

Waving flags and wearing the red shirts and caps of Chavez's ruling party the "Chavistas" shouted "Yes" and "21st Socialism" slogans in favor of the 69 proposed amendments in a procession that stretched for several kilometers. Vice President Jorge Rodriguez predicted a solid victory in the December 2 referendum on the changes, which were overwhelmingly approved Friday by the President Chavez controlled National Assembly. "The massing shows people are absolutely convinced that the constitutional reforms must be approved," Rodriguez said. However President Chavez concentration of power has found strong opponents in human rights groups, the Roman Catholic Church and other critics who accuse him of trying to consolidate power into an "authoritarian democracy". Opposition leaders also warn that changes allowing authorities to detain citizens without charge and censor the media during a state of emergency would violate civil liberties. Today's march was in response to demonstrations against Chavez's proposal that have been picking up in recent days. Riot police used tear gas and water cannons to break up anti-Chavez demonstrations on November first in downtown Caracas. Thousands more marched Saturday in cities throughout the country to protest the changes. Two students were killed and four injured by a gunman during student-led protests outside a university in western Zulia state After marching through the city, the demonstrators jammed a downtown avenue where they listened to Venezuelan folk music booming from loudspeakers and raised banners bearing images of Cuban leader Fidel Castro and famed revolutionary fighter Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Venezuela which is a leading member of OPEC and exporter of oil, mainly to United States, is deeply divided over Chavez regime, but the opposition has repeatedly failed to derail the president and his Bolivarian revolution project in the ballot box. On the December 2 referendum Venezuelans will be asked "Do you agree with the constitutional reform project drafted by the Constitutional Assembly with the participation of the people and based on the initiative of the President of the Republic? Voters will have to say Yes or No to two blocks of reforms, A, the original (33 modifications and 13 articles) proposed by Chavez and B, (23 further articles) added by the pro Chavez Assembly.