MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez names “chief of government” and takes control of Caracas

President Chavez was scheduled to name Caracas “Chief of government” this week

Venezuelan legislators loyal to President Hugo Chavez approved this week a new law that further erodes the authority of Caracas' opposition mayor by subordinating him to a government-appointed official.

The law approved by the predominantly pro-Chavez National Assembly gives the official, who will be appointed directly by Chavez, administrative authority over Venezuela's capital.

Caracas elected Mayor Antonio Ledezma condemned the move as a new attempt by Chavez to expand his power in the city and weaken his opponents.

“The government wants to control everything, including the state and municipal offices administered by democratically elected opposition leaders” said Ledezma who defeated a Chavez-backed candidate in November elections and plans to challenge the new law through a referendum.

Ledezma has appealed the bill before the Supreme Court and has called for a referendum so the “neighbours of Caracas can decide who rules their city”.

Pro-Chavez lawmaker Jose Albornoz denied the approval of the law was politically motivated saying it would help resolve problems such as inadequate trash collection because it establishes a direct link between the federal government and the city's top administrator. However he admitted it would inevitably lead to “more confrontation in the political arena”.

Following the promulgation of the law, President Chavez was scheduled to name Caracas “Chief of government” this week.

Until the year 2000 the governor of Caracas was named by the Venezuelan Executive but since the creation of the Metropolitan District, the figure of the elected metropolitan mayor was born. He is the coordinator of the five main boroughs of sprawling Caracas.

However on taking office from the pro-Chavez former mayor Juan Barret, Ledezma has seen his powers significantly curtailed: to begin with he lost control of Metropolitan Police (10.000 men) which was reassigned to the Ministry of Interior; later the main hospitals of the city were transferred to the Health ministry.