Chavez Says Venezuelan Constitutional Reform Referendum Could be Divided into Parts
Caracas, November 1, 2007 (venezuelanalysis.com) - After receiving the modified project of constitutional reform, which includes an additional 36 changes proposed by the National Assembly, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, announced Wednesday that the constitutional reform should be voted on in separate blocs, rather than one single bloc.
"I believe that we can present it in various blocs, as indicated in the constitution. I believe that the original proposal should be voted on in one bloc" and the other articles added by the National Assembly, "could form a second or third bloc," Chavez said during a speech at the seventh anniversary of the National Women's Institute, celebrated yesterday at the Teresa Carreño Theater in Caracas.
National Assembly President Cilia Flores explained to the National Assembly yesterday how the proposed changes could be divided into blocs for the referendum.
"We have a procedure that is established in the Constitution in article 343, that establishes that you can vote separately for a third of the proposed project of reform, in this case, we could vote on up to 23 articles separately."
Flores continued, "We would maintain the bloc proposed by President Chavez, to which would be added 13 articles, that would be two thirds that cannot be separated, as established in article 343. So there would be 46 articles in one bloc, including the contents of the 33 proposal of the president, and another 23 articles that can be voted on in bloc, or in 2 blocs or in 23."
However, opposition party Justice First is challenging this interpretation of article 343 in the Supreme Court and calling for the reforms to be voted on article by article, however the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on this.
Other opposition groups are calling for the referendum to be postponed or suspended altogether and have threatened the National Electoral Council (CNE), saying that if it continues preparing for the referendum this would be an "incitement to the people." However, the law requires the CNE to hold a referendum within thirty days of receiving the proposal, which will be submitted on November 2.
According to the results of a poll carried out over the period September 20-30 by the Venezuelan Institute for Data Analysis (IVAD) showed that 50.6% of Venezuelans think the reforms proposed by President Chavez are necessary, while 36.0% think they are not. However, this poll was prior to the addition of a further 36 changes proposed by the National Assembly.
Another poll by Datanalisis, indicates that Venezuelans are divided roughly equally for and against the reforms. However, it shows that while the majority of those who support the reforms will participate in the referendum on December 2, the majority of those who oppose the reforms will abstain.
Opposition parties remain divided over what strategy to adopt in the face of the referendum, with some calling for a ‘No' vote and others calling for a boycott.
More radical sectors, such as Hermann Escarrá from the National Resistance Command have called for the reforms to be stopped, "through all means possible," prompting fears among some Venezuelans of an attempted repeat of the April 11 military coup against Chavez in 2002.
According to the October 24 edition of Diario VEA, senior United States officials met with Venezuelan opposition groups in Prague between October 7 and 9 to demand that the Venezuelan opposition ask the Supreme Court to consider the proposed reforms as a "constitutional coup" and that it should call for "social upheaval, organize acts of economic sabotage against infrastructure, destroy the food transport and delivery chain ... and organize a military coup with all means possible, including bloodshed by means of paramilitary force."
This afternoon, 20-30,000 protesters from opposition students groups and political parties marched to the CNE in Caracas overturning trash cans, starting fires, throwing rocks, and clashing with police and the National Guard. A delegation of 15 students were allowed into the CNE then attempted to chain themselves to the stairwell, before being removed by police.
Chavez has called on opponents of the reforms to participate in the referendum and refrain from the use of violence.
"Those who don't agree with the project, have the right not to. They should prepare themselves for December 2 and try to convince people to vote against the reform," he said.
"If the majority of Venezuelans say ‘No' to the proposal, then no is no, it is simply the voice of the people...if the majority of the people approve the form then we will deepen [the revolution]."
However, Chavez warned it is, "the same sectors of April 11" that aim to "return to violence" in order to avoid the referendum. He asked that these sectors reconsider their plans to carry out violent actions. "I make a call to those who are not in agreement with the reform, to go out into the streets and carry out your campaign through the referendum, this is democracy, and afterward accept the results," said Chavez.
Chavez has rejected opposition calls to postpone the referendum and affirmed that campaigning would begin on November 2. Opposition groups are set to march against the reforms in Caracas on November 3, while pro-Chavez groups will launch their campaign for a ‘Yes' vote with a demonstration on November 4.
