Venezuelans Say President Can't Hold Office Forever

By D. Cupples  |  The Associated Press reports:.

"[Venezuelan] President Hugo Chavez suffered a stinging defeat in a vote on constitutional changes that would have let him run for re-election indefinitely.... Voters defeated the sweeping measures by a vote of 51 percent to 49 percent." (AP) 

The Booman Tribune commented:

"This removes the number one talking point for the Monroe Doctrine neo-con exceptionalists that would like to topple/interfere in Venezuela's internal affairs. It also means that Chavez will have to step down at the end of his term.

"This is how things should be. I have no problem with Venezuela staking out its independence from America. But they should keep their Constitution and the balance of powers. When Chavez fulfills his term it will be time for someone else." (BT)

See  Memeorandum for other bloggers' reactions: Babalu Blog, The Jawa Report,  A NEWT ONE, The Reaction, CTV.ca, The Devil's Excrement, Booman Tribune, Babalu Blog, Redstate and Washington Post

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Comments

[On a Limb with Claudia]

I don't know. Chavez is the only oil producing head of government that doesn't bow down to Bush. I take all the news about him and what's going on there with a grain of salt. I mean really. Don't you think there's a count down to invade Venezuela for oil?

Who knows? Maybe THEY have the missing arms.... or weapons of mass destruction.... or something...

[Charles]

FDR would be very surprised to hear that it's dictatorial to get elected for more than two terms. Likewise John Howard of Australia and Margaret Thatcher.

I did not support the constitutional reforms, but the issue of removing term limits was not one of them. Rather, it was the fact that most of the important changes could have been accomplished by statute. Now that the constitutional reform avenue is blocked, that's how they will be done.

And who knows? If the changes are popular, Chavez may re-submit the term limits issue a couple of years from now.

[D. Cupples]

I don't have an opinion on this issue, because I haven't researched it.