Venezuelan voters cast ballots today to make a constitutional change which, according to the NY Times, "would abolish presidential term limits, extend [President Hugo] Chávez’s term to seven years from six and raise the threshold for recalling him." Chavez also wants to make Venezuela a socialist state. People opposed to this change argue that it will make Venezuela more totalitarian than democratic, as Chavez argues. Voter turnout was surprisingly low. Lines, if any, were short and the streets were empty except for the few voters who had just cast ballots.
Criticized by many people for his proposal, President Chavez has "ordered troops to occupy oil installations over the weekend, threatening to cut off oil exports to the United States in the event of American interference in the referendum."
Unnamed sources stated on Sunday night that Chavez had won the referendum.
If Chavez did truly win, how do you think the changes to the constitution will affect the country in the long run?
Will the U.S. stay out of it, in order to ensure that they continue to receive oil?
Are Chavez's proposals really more democratic or totalitarian?
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3 comments:
The reforms are completely democratic and despite the way they are being portrayed in the US, represent a step forward in the Bolivarian Process of empowering the Venezuelan people.
Reuters talks of YES vote - Bolivarians start to celebrate
http://hovreferendum.wordpress.com/
8.20 pm in Caracas, no official results are yet known, but according to figures quoted by Reuters, the YES vote would win by between 6 and 8 points, and this is what the international media (never friendly to the Bolivarian revolution) is starting to report. Other sources give the YES a bigger lead.
Bolivarian supporters have started to gather outside Miraflores palace to celebrate. The leader of the reactionary students Yon Goicoechea appeal to his supporters to stay in the polling stations and “defend the vote”, implying that fraud is going on.
¡Viva la Revolución Bolivariana!
¡Viva El Processo!
¡Viva Chávez!
Los amigos americanos de Presidente Chavez y la Revolución en inglés...
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Americans for Chavez
http://www.myspace.com/chavista
http://www.americans-for-chavez.com
Bolivarian Circle 'Chief Tierra Blanca'
even though people are voting on the constitutional change, which is democratic, they are voting for a guy who will become increasingly dictatorial. its interesting that people voted to abolish term limits and increase Chavez's term when Venezuelans supposedly don't want to become socialist. I think some one (maybe the Venezuelan media?) should conduct a poll to see what the public opinion is on Chavez's policies, desire to turn Venezuela into a socialist state, and the peoples' satisfaction with Chavez's presidency. If the polls indicate strong dissatisfaction, maybe Chavez rigged the polls for the constitutional change.
I'm not sure how credible this source is, or how accurate the article is, but the way I see it is: This seems to be a really bad situation. A dictator is grabbing more power, and trying to rewrite laws that would enable him to rule longer. And at the same time, the Venezuelan people aren't doing anything about it, as it stated very little people voted. And all this puts the U.S. in an awkward position. If they decide to intervene then they risk losing favorable oil prices. If that is indeed the case, I don't see this whole situation progressing anytime soon.
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