Guerrilla22
19th December 2008, 10:46
CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuela's National Assembly on Thursday gave preliminary approval for a referendum on abolishing term limits, which could let President Hugo Chavez run for re-election indefinitely.
The predominantly pro-government National Assembly is expected to give the vote the final go-ahead after a second debate next month. Election officials say the referendum could be held in March.
"President Chavez' leadership is needed for much longer, until ... the revolution is consolidated," assembly president Cilia Flores said in an address.
Congressman Carlos Escarra called lawmakers who supported the referendum "the voice of the people," as Chavez backers held a flag-waving rally outside and turned in boxes of petitions calling for the vote.
Government officials said 4.7 million signatures had been collected. Opponents have noted, however, that the signatures are not expected to be independently verified by electoral officials.
The petition drive is largely symbolic because lawmakers have the power to approve the referendum on their own.
Chavez, who was first elected in 1998, is barred under the constitution from seeking re-election in 2012. Venezuelan voters handed Chavez his first defeat at the polls last year when they rejected a package of constitutional reforms that would have scrapped term limits, among other things.
Dissident lawmaker Ismael Garcia called the proposal "illegitimate," because it puts term limits on the table again.
Chavez says a referendum would be legal.
The predominantly pro-government National Assembly is expected to give the vote the final go-ahead after a second debate next month. Election officials say the referendum could be held in March.
"President Chavez' leadership is needed for much longer, until ... the revolution is consolidated," assembly president Cilia Flores said in an address.
Congressman Carlos Escarra called lawmakers who supported the referendum "the voice of the people," as Chavez backers held a flag-waving rally outside and turned in boxes of petitions calling for the vote.
Government officials said 4.7 million signatures had been collected. Opponents have noted, however, that the signatures are not expected to be independently verified by electoral officials.
The petition drive is largely symbolic because lawmakers have the power to approve the referendum on their own.
Chavez, who was first elected in 1998, is barred under the constitution from seeking re-election in 2012. Venezuelan voters handed Chavez his first defeat at the polls last year when they rejected a package of constitutional reforms that would have scrapped term limits, among other things.
Dissident lawmaker Ismael Garcia called the proposal "illegitimate," because it puts term limits on the table again.
Chavez says a referendum would be legal.