Posted on 11/30/2008 8:16:25 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez today announced he's seeking a constitutional amendment to allow himself to seek re-election, saying he hopes to remain in power until 2021.
Mr Chavez said he was directing his ruling United Socialist party (PSUV) to seek a "constitutional amendment and re-election of the president of the republic", saying he was "ready (to govern) through 2021".
"I give the PSUV and the Venezuelan people my authorisation to begin the debate and take the steps necessary to obtain that constitutional amendment and re-election of the president ... and I am sure that we will get it now," Mr Chavez said at the swearing-in of Caracas' Libertador district's mayor Jorge Rodriguez.
"I am ready, and if I am healthy, God willing, I will be with you until 2019, until 2021," the 54-year-old Mr Chavez said.
On November 24 - almost a year after losing a vote on extending his powers - Mr Chavez had said: "It's the people's right (to vote on the issue). We'll see if the people use this right, and if all the country approves it or not if there is a referendum."
Just over a week ago Mr Chavez's party scored a string of victories in key local polls, but in a blow to his socialist revolution the opposition won some major power centres.
The results shook up the political landscape of the OPEC nation, reducing the almost blanket authority of the fiercely anti-liberal Mr Chavez and his party.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
How he managed to lose the last election is beyond me. That was a referendum on indefinite reelection. He lost, but everyone knew he would be back to propose it again.
The reason being, he isn’t leaving office alive. Anyone paying attention knew he was President For Life the day he took office in 1998. He is no closer to leaving office now than he was then, because alive he is not leaving.
200,000 AK 47’s, Jimmah, and now Obama, how can he lose?!!!
Suppose he wins and remains in office until 2021. Ceteris paribus, what would one think Chavez would do as 2021 approaches?
It’s unbelievable that some of the same people on the left who refer to Bush as ‘Hitler’ support Chavez who is truly a dictator.
Does that strike anyone else as a very peculiar phrase? I think most (at least here on FR)would describe him as "uber-liberal" because he (like liberals) is socialist.
whats the point of having an election for a dictator? kinda like the US having an election where the media controls the lies....
The Beaver want’s reruns.
Good question. Somehow I don’t think he’ll lose...especially with the military backing him.
Liberals in the rest of the world are equivalent to conservatives here. More in line witn classical liberalism. The left hijacked the term liberal in this country long ago so we became conservatives.
Of course the same people who call GWB a “dictator” love this guy.
Liberal Conservatives tend to advocate free trade, small government, minimum laws etc.....
Hollywood must be getting sick of their Che tshirts by now, time to change ‘em out for one with “Chavez Rules” on it, don’t ya think?
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!
In Europe and Latin America, “liberal” means a person who has a liberal (that is, free) attitude towards economic matters. An economic liberal rejects state control, supports individual initiative and individual ethical control, and is, in general, anti-socialist and anti-statist.
In the US, we have somehow reversed it and “liberal” means a person who rejects all personal ethical controls in private matters and believes in state control of the economy and just about everything else.
In Europe and Latin America, “liberal” means a person who has a liberal (that is, free) attitude towards economic matters. An economic liberal rejects state control, supports individual initiative and individual ethical control, and is, in general, anti-socialist and anti-statist.
In the US, we have somehow reversed it and “liberal” means a person who rejects all personal ethical controls in private matters and believes in state control of the economy and just about everything else.
I wonder how long it will be before we start hearing calls for repeal of the amendment limiting a president to 2 terms so Obama can serve FDR style?
Lemme take a shot at it:
almost blanket authoritarianism of the fiercely anti-liberty Mr Chavez and his party.
Sheesh...these RATagandists! ("journalists")
this is just a dry run for Oboogers seizure of ultimate power.
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