MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez close ally calls to vote against constitution reform

Venezuela's former Defence Minister Raul Isaias Baduel, a long-time ally of President Hugo Chavez, said he is planning a campaign to urge citizens to vote against the government's proposed review of the constitution which he described as a “coup”.

Baduel, a former army general who helped Chavez defeat the military's bid to overthrow his government in 2002, said the amendments to the constitution, including the end of presidential term limits, would give Chavez too much power and infringe on human rights. "I feel the moral obligation to continue travelling the country to explain my opinion", said Baduel on Tuesday in comments broadcast by Globovision. "I'm also considering an international campaign". President Chavez was quick to react and called his former Defence Minister a "traitor" and accused him of siding with "imperialism". He said he was surprised by Baduel's decision to give a televised news conference to urge voters to reject the proposal, according to a government statement. The constitutional proposal, which has already been overwhelmingly approved by the Chavez-dominated National Assembly, will be voted on in a national referendum next December second. The president's supporters and the political opposition marched in the streets over the past week. Tens of thousands of Chavez backers wearing red shirts clogged Caracas on Sunday to hear Chavez give a speech to inaugurate his campaign. Opposition protests, which have included the support of one party that has historically backed the president, have taken place daily in Caracas and across the country. Chavez originally submitted 33 proposed constitutional changes, such as the term-limits measure and formally taking state control of the central bank. However lawmakers added 36 more changes during discussion in the assembly, including moves to weaken powers of state and municipal governments and change the rules for electing Supreme Court judges. Baduel who was Defence minister until last July denied that his break with Chavez means he is aligning himself with opposition parties, while acknowledging that their opinions on the constitutional changes coincide. "I haven't considered aligning myself with anyone expect Raul Baduel", he said. The plan has been condemned by Venezuela's opposition parties, human rights groups and the Roman Catholic Church. They accuse Chavez of attempting to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, by trying to stay in power for life through the new constitution.