MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“King” Hugo Chavez closer to his dream of perpetuity

Pte. Hugo Chavez

Venezuela's National Assembly on Wednesday approved amendments to the constitution that would allow President Hugo Chavez to run for re-election indefinitely, the final step before the proposal goes before voters in a referendum.

Allies of Chavez, who hold a strong majority within the 167-seat National Assembly, overwhelmingly voted in favour of lifting term limits for all elected officials. Six lawmakers voted against the proposal while five abstained. Chavez, who was first elected in 1998, is barred under the constitution from seeking re-election in 2012. However this will be his second bid to amend the constitution to run for office again. In December 2007, voters rejected a package of reforms that would have scrapped presidential term limits, among other proposed changes. Election officials have yet to set a date for the referendum but it is believed Chavez is pressing for the referendum to take place next February. "That I'm indispensable? No, but changing horse of captain…when the maturing initial stages have yet not consolidated, is a highly risky process", said Chavez during his seven-hour state of the nation address to the assembly. "The oligarchy knows this; the bourgeois know this and so do the international dominating factors. That is why they will make everything possible to have me out, including a coup or killing the president", he added. Public opinion polls from last December show that rejection of the proposal is higher but there's also a significant percentage of undecided. Caracas political analysts consider the referendum will be a very tight vote. But in the latest (approved) proposal Chavez introduced the same indefinite re-election option for governors and mayors, and polls have still to register the impact. The opposition which came out strengthened following symbolic victories in regional elections last November claim the latest amendment is a threat for democratic rotation in power and insist that the Venezuelan people already said NO to "any chance of indefinite re-election for Chavez". However the opposition still has to find a national figure to lead them and become a real option to President Chavez who has a 60% public opinion support. The proposal must now be addressed to the Electoral Court which has 30 days to call a national referendum when 17 million Venezuelan voters will decide. Analysts also point out that Mr. Chavez will have to work hard to contain vote absenteeism, and ensure a victory before the reality of economics hits the lavishness and waste of his revolution which is 90% dependent on oil windfall earnings.