VENEZUELA: Thousands rally for President Hugo Chavez ahead of upcoming referendum on term limits

Record ID: 212756

  • Title: VENEZUELA: Thousands rally for President Hugo Chavez ahead of upcoming referendum on term limits
  • Date: 13th February 2009
  • Summary: CROWDS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HUGO CHAVEZ, PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA SAYING: "On Sunday, we'll know if Hugo Chavez is leaving or if Hugo Chavez isn't leaving. You give the word, you have the sovereign decision." SUPPORTERS CARRYING FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HUGO CHAVEZ, PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA SAYING: "On Sunday, from three in the morning, I'll be waiting for you at each electoral table, waiting for you woman, waiting for you man, waiting for you young person-- for you to do what you want with me because I'm not Chavez, I'm a people. I don't belong to me; I belong to the people of Venezuela. My life, my life isn't mine. I lived it already. My life is yours. Do with it what you want." (AUDIO OF FIRECRACKERS AND SIRENS) SUPPORTERS WITH CHAVEZ DOLL GENERAL VIEW OF THE RALLY / FIRECRACKERS/ FIREWORKS
  • Embargoed: 28th February 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA202ZD6TR0D4VU07BKIOCOAUSV
  • Story Text: Wearing red t-shirts, thousands of supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez rallied on Thursday (February 12) in support of the socialist leader extending his rule.
    The rally comes days before Sunday's (February 15) referendum that would allow Chavez to run for re-election in 2012.
    "On Sunday, we'll know if Hugo Chavez is leaving or if Hugo Chavez isn't leaving. You give the word, you have the sovereign decision," Chavez told the crowd.
    Chavez, who this month celebrated ten years in office and remains popular among the poor, says he needs another decade to consolidate his self-styled socialist revolution. Critics call him a strongman who wants to stay in office for life and uses state funds for his own campaigns.
    A win on Sunday for Chavez would let him stay in office for as long as he keeps winning elections, and boost his leadership of a group of anti-U.S.
    governments in Latin America.
    If he loses, he would have to leave office in early 2013 unless he can find another way to change the constitution.
    A recent Datanalisis poll showed Chavez with around 51.5 percent support ahead of the referendum but the opposition is optimistic it can overturn that narrow lead.
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