- Title: VENEZUELA: Venezuela's congress begins final debates over constitutional reforms
- Date: 18th October 2007
- Summary: VARIOUS OF EX-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TEODORO PETTKOF (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) EX-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TEODORO PETTKOF SAYING: "If this reform is approved we are going to experience a qualitative change in the state of the nation. We are going to have a different country, a strongly authoritarian, strongly militaristic country with permanent president. It won't have anything to do with democracy."
- Embargoed: 2nd November 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA217WTUJUQ1O2RY5FMWLLVI3YT
- Story Text: Legislators in Caracas, Venezuela began a final round of debates on Tuesday (October 16) of a package of constitutional reforms proposed by leftist President Hugo Chavez.
While many are worried the reforms will allow Chavez a concentration of power and endanger democracy, the reforms are expected to skate through a Congress where the main opposition has no representatives.
The main constitutional amendment in the referendum would scrap term limits to allow Chavez to remain in power indefinitely.
Ex-presidential candidate Teodoro Pettkof said the changes would radically change the face of the Caribbean nation.
"If this reform is approved we are going to experience a qualitative change in the state of the nation. We are going to have a different country, a strongly authoritarian, strongly militaristic country with permanent president. It won't have anything to do with democracy,"
he said.
Chavez supporters also want to add lowering the voting age to 16 in Venezuela and suspend due process in "emergencies" to a package of reforms to be voted on in a December 2 referendum.
The opposition says Chavez, in office since 1999, intends to use the referendum to consolidate his power, allowing him to stay in office for life.
Opposition senator Ismael Garcia said most Venezuelans aren't even aware of Chavez' proposal to open to door on a long-running stint as president.
"The country doesn't even know about the proposal that the president has made- close to or more than 70 percent doesn't even know,"
the senator said.
But with a congress packed with supporters and the overwhelming support of Venezuela's poor, Senator Carlos Escarra said Chavez' reforms should move quickly through the system.
"I can assure to you that between the 25th and 26th we will be finishing this discussion and December 2 we will have the referendum. An immense majority of the people will back the project of constitutional reform we are immersed in," Escarra said.
The lawmakers' additions also include a provision that would ensure that billions of the government's dollars are funneled to grass-roots community councils that Chavez hopes will help turn the OPEC nation into a socialist state.
Other provisions include eliminating the central bank's autonomy and reducing the work day to six hours.
In Tuesday's debate, lawmakers also fleshed out a Chavez proposal that would allow him to appoint regional officials, bypassing opposition governors who have been voted into power.
The measure to lower voting age has generated heated debate among Chavez supporters and may not be approved in Congress.
Lowering the voting age, which has clear lawmakers' support, could give Chavez a political advantage because poor Venezuelans, who overwhelmingly support him, tend to have more children than richer people.
The opposition also often complains many Venezuelans vote for Chavez out of fear of reprisal that they will lose jobs or state benefits.
Typically the voting age across the world is 18, which is also the current limit in Venezuela. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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