Cindy How about I make you vice president for Life?
Posted on 08/18/2007 11:31:36 AM PDT by Crazieman
The Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez has anointed himself president for life by proposing sweeping changes to the country's constitution.
Setting out his plans for completing his socialist revolution in the oil-rich Latin American nation, he proposing radical constitutional reform which has at its centre indefinite re-election for himself.
In a rambling televised speech reminiscent of his close ally and friend Fidel Castro, Mr Chavez told the national assembly of 33 changes he plans to make to the constitution he introduced in 1999 which will cement his grip on power.
"We have broken the chains of the old, exploitative capitalist system," said Mr Chavez. "The state now has the obligation to build the model of a socialist economy."
The proposals will be debated by the 167-seat assembly, which is unlikely to be particularly heated or drawn out as it is 100 per cent "Chavista" after the opposition boycotted the 2005 elections. Once the assembly has rubber stamped the proposals, they will be put to a referendum.
Mr Chavez is unlikely to struggle in is bid to win the referendum as he has spent millions of dollars in oil revenue in enlarging his power base by bolstering the ranks of state employees and introducing cheap imported goods into shops.
While the president was talking about "the death of capitalism" in Venezuela, the opposition were lamenting what they called the death of democracy.
"The president just tells lies," said Manuel Rosales, the opposition leader defeated in last year's presidential elections. "All he wants to do is turn himself into president for life."
In the new constitution Mr Chavez, 54, scraps the maximum presidential incumbency of two six-year terms, to instead permit seven-year terms with indefinite re-election.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I’ve not been able to find it. Been looking for an hour. It seems to have been eliminated................
Ah. Probably democracy in action...
It was sent to me by another freeper, months ago..........
I doubt it, they are taking careful notes, though.
Democrats cheer!!! ‘Long live Communism, Long live Communism’.....The hero of the left, Chavez!
What's wrong with Zimbabwe??? The UN just selected them to head the UN Economic Development Program. Obviously they must know what they are doing.
No I meant that Chavez probably suppressed that website. You know how it goes, history is created by those in power... But if you find the website, do let me know. Thanks.
Why aren’t the people doing something?
How a constitution becomes a mere guideline: Chavez turns the 1999 constitution into scrap paper
I was hoping that FReeper, can’t remember his tag, would be drawn to this THUGO Chavez thread and re-post the link...................
Oh man, I can just hear the collective swoon of the DUmies, KOmmies, HUffies, Hollywood elites, and all the Democratics in the House and Senate.
It could cause a major hurricane or something.
I wonder if he’ll take Cindy Sheehan to be his trophy wife?
Chavez is basically running the Hitler playbook.
After becoming President-for-life and squelching any remaining internal dissent, he will start more serious activities beyond his borders in subverting the governments of other Latin American countries and, like Castro did in Africa, will send Venezuelan troops to various places to engage in hostilities, perhaps even in support of his new radical muslim buddies like Iran.
It’s too bad the coup plotters didn’t put a bullet in his head when they had the chance, it would have saved the deaths and sufferings of many, many innocent people which are very likely to occur in the future.
Now there’s a shocker.
Hugo Chavez will seek to undermine democracy in Central and South America. He will work to do the work that Castro has begun. The taking of the Panama Canal may be his first goal. And he is talking about the acquisition of nuclear weapons.
“for life” is not necessarily a long time. Get my drift?
Fidelito
A similar fate could happen here under Hillary, if conservatives decide that neither Rudy nor Mitt are good enough for them and boycott the 2008 elections.
Cindy How about I make you vice president for Life?
Don't foget that other darling of the looney Left:
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.