MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Venezuela opposition rejects Chavez plan: “14 years is enough”

Opposition leader Omar Barboza

Venezuelan opposition parties have formally rejected a plan by President Hugo Chavez to amend the constitution and enable him indefinite re-election. In a joint statement, the opposition said: “Fourteen years are sufficient.”

President Chavez on Saturday marking 10 years since his first election as president is seeking reforms that would let him stand again when his latest term ends in 2012. Last year, he lost a referendum on the issue (51%) and opposition parties say it cannot be voted on again. Thousands of supporters of the president gathered outside the presidential palace in Caracas on Saturday to mark the 10th anniversary of his first election victory in December 1998. But opposition parties issued a joint statement saying the president's re-election proposals were "anti-democratic, unconstitutional and against the national interest". Opposition politician Omar Barboza said it would strengthen the actions of a government which persecutes and harasses those who do not think as it does. He said the statement marked the launch of their No campaign ahead of a referendum President Chavez hopes could be held sometime next February. Re-election in the 2012 elections would keep him in power until 2019, but the president has said he hopes to remain in power until 2021. Mr Chavez can propose holding a referendum to the electoral authority only if he collects 2.5 million signatures supporting it, or if the request is supported by 30% of Congress, which is currently dominated by his allies. He told supporters outside the palace that he had decided to set the constitutional amendment plans into motion - but said it should be done with full support of people, in streets gathering signatures. The electoral authority is required to call a referendum 30 days after receiving a successful proposal. But it has already said it would be ready to hold a referendum in February. In his speech on Saturday Chavez announced that the "first campaign command" for the indefinite re-election is already working and on the legal side will be headed by the president of the National Assembly Cilia Flores. "We've decided to activate the amendment through the National Assembly. We need signature to support it, we're going to have a busy Christmas, we're going to celebrate Xmas collecting signatures, in campaign, in battle", said the Venezuelan leader to his followers. Venezuelan opposition has been bolstered by the recent governorship and municipal elections when they garnered five out of 22 provinces, the most densely populated including the capital Caracas. President Chavez still has a personal support over 50% but his administration faces the challenges of inflation and shortages of basic foods at supermarkets stalls, plus more damaging the collapse of oil prices which only last July reached 147 US dollars a barrel and now stands in the range of 42 USD. Although inflation is slightly down, it is still the highest official rate in Latin America. Venezuela's Central Bank said annual inflation in metropolitan Caracas was 32.7% in November, down from 35.6%. Chavez's government set a goal of 11% inflation early in 2008, later adjusted its goal upward to 19.5% and later 27.4%.