- Title: VENEZUELA: Cabello calls for "mass demonstration" on planned inauguration day
- Date: 7th January 2013
- Summary: NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JANUARY 7, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PSUV HEADQUARTERS PORTRAIT OF VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ ELIAS JAUA, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, DIOSDADO CABELLO, VICE PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO AND GOVERNOR OF COJEDES ERIKA FARIAS TAKING THEIR SEATS FOR NEWS CONFERENCE MADURO'S HAND HOLDING A BOOK OF THE CONSTITUTION VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, DIOSDADO CABELLO, SAYING: "There will be a big concentration here in Caracas on the 10th of January, all of Venezuela is going to come to Caracas and be in front of Miraflores Palace, the people supporting our president, supporting Comandante Chavez, in a forceful way, the people will be on the streets. We know the responsibility we must take and we are taking it." CABELLO AND MADURO AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, DIOSDADO CABELLO, SAYING: "A number of presidents of friendly countries will come here, leaders of governments and prime ministers of some countries will visit us to show their solidarity with Comandante Chavez and the Venezuelan people and in respect of this Constitution." REPORTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, DIOSDADO CABELLO, SAYING: "According to article 235, the president is given unanimous permission by National Assembly, so there is no complete absence nor a temporary absence, everything is completely in accordance with the Constitution. Everything else ... it's what maybe the great Venezuelan media wants and the big media companies of the world want. But we are in accordance with the Constitution." (HOLDS UP COPY OF THE CONSTITUTION) NEWS CONFERNECE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA'S NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, DIOSDADO CABELLO, SAYING: "They interpret the Consituition and the laws as is convenient to them. What we really want, and the Venezuelan people want is peace and calm, and this a call not only to the Chavista people, but it is a call to the people of the opposition or to those who did not vote, so that they understand and know where reason lies. And also so they understand the ones calling for peace and calm are the Chavistas but we will not allow for the Constitution to be disregarded." END OF NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 22nd January 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVADE7AYIOL7RO7QJZ8L4D1K4NNH
- Story Text: Venezuela's National Assembly leader Diosdado Cabello calls for a mass rally in support of President Hugo Chavez on his planned inauguration day amid doubts that the ailing leftist leader will be well enough to attend the ceremony on January 10.
The leader of Venezuela's National Assembly on Monday (January 7) called on supporters of President Hugo Chavez to take to streets on the day of his planned inauguration to show solidarity with the ailing president who is struggling to recover from a fourth cancer surgery in Cuba.
Diosdado Cabello, a staunch ally of Chavez, said that a number of presidents of "friendly countries" would visit Venezuela on January 10, the day Chavez is due to be inaugurated for a fourth term in office.
"There will be a big concentration here in Caracas on the 10th of January, all of Venezuela is going to come to Caracas and be in front of Miraflores Palace, the people supporting our president, supporting Comandante Chavez, in a forceful way, the people will be on the streets," said Cabello.
"A number of presidents of friendly countries will come here, leaders of governments and prime ministers of some countries will visit us to show their solidarity with Comandante Chavez and the Venezuelan people and in respect of this Constitution," he added, as he brandished a copy of the Constitution.
Cabello and Vice President Nicolas Maduro have indicated that the government may delay Chavez's inauguration for a new six-year term if he is not well enough and have said the ceremony scheduled for January 10 is just a "formality" and that Chavez could be sworn in by the Supreme Court at a later date.
The opposition says Chavez's absence would be just the latest sign that he is no longer fit to govern, and that new elections should be held in the South American OPEC nation.
However, Cabello, who was re-elected as the head the National Assembly on Saturday, putting him in line to be caretaker president if the socialist leader does not recover from cancer surgery, said he would not be taking power on January 10 and that Chavez will remain president.
"According to article 235, the president is given unanimous permission by National Assembly, so there is no complete absence nor a temporary absence, everything is completely in accordance with the constitution. Everything else... it's what maybe, the great Venezuelan media wants and the big media companies of the world want. But we are in accordance with the constitution," said Cabello.
If Chavez had to step down, or died, Cabello would take over the running of the country as Assembly president and a new election would be organized within 30 days. Chavez's heir apparent, Maduro, would be the ruling Socialist Party candidate.
Chavez, who was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in his pelvic area in mid-2011, has not been seen in public nor heard from in more than three weeks.
Officials say the 58-year-old is in delicate condition and has suffered multiple complications since the Dec. 11 surgery, including unexpected bleeding and severe respiratory problems.
Should the president have to step down after 14 years in office, a new vote would probably pit Maduro, a 50-year-old former bus driver and union leader, against opposition leader Henrique Capriles, the 40-year-old governor of Miranda state. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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