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Chavez again seeks way past term limit

CARACAS, Venezuela (CNN) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced Sunday he will seek a constitutional amendment to enable him to seek re-election in order to govern until 2021.

Voters last year rejected Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez attempt to extend presidential term limits.

Chavez, who made the announcement during a televised address, lost a similar bid last year, when Venezuelans shot down a referendum that would have allowed him to run for a third term in 2012.

That referendum proposed 69 amendments to the 1999 constitution, including one that would have abolished term limits

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/11/30/venezuela.chavez.vote...

By tasco66 on Nov 30, 2008, 16:45 in Politics & the war.

tasco66 says on Nov 30, 2008, 16:47:

again? How many times do Venezuelans have show him the way out?

Not being bound to swear to the dogmas of any master

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fecherklyn says on Nov 30, 2008, 17:47:

Tasco,

"How many times do Venezuelans have to show him the way out?".

Well, I can at least understand what is pushing him to try again. He undoubtedly feels the last amendment vote was overly complex (with 69 different amendments) and his proposal to an extension of terms in office was lost amongst them and did not get the attention it deserved.

If this is his logic then he can be forgiven in believing it as he knows that when he "personalizes" a voting isuue (as in the latest governship elections which he managed to convert into a vote for or against himself) he seems to get better results.

In simplest terms the majority poor of Venezuela may be unhappy with many aspects of government for the last 10 years but they have not yet necessarily associated Chavez personally with the blame.

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Dolfi says on Dec 1, 2008, 01:40:

"In his address, which was televised, Chavez called for a constitutional amendment that would allow him to run again."

Hm..where have I heard this before?

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mercedesdecali says on Dec 1, 2008, 12:13:

Pendejo

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tasco66 says on Dec 1, 2008, 12:42:

Chavez called for a constitutional amendment that would allow him to run again."

"Hm..where have I heard this before?"

In Venezuela. Don't you know he has already attempted this before? At least Uribe had the decency not to run again, even though the vast majority of Colombians wanted to see him elected again, contrary to Venezuela where only Chavez’s corrupted cronies still support him.

Not being bound to swear to the dogmas of any master

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Mongo says on Dec 1, 2008, 13:25:

Dolfi, you heard that before in Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, North Korea, Cuba, Libya, and other countries who have horrible DICTATORS!

"Here in Colombia, it's about adding life to your years, not years to your life." Brian Andrews

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mercedesdecali says on Dec 1, 2008, 13:59:

Pendejo

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La_Huella says on Dec 1, 2008, 18:52:

Tasco is right. At no point did Uribe even so much as make a peep saying he was going to seek a third term.

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Dolfi says on Dec 5, 2008, 00:55:

Uribe as well as Chavez was trying to stay in his office for more time than the constitution allows, so what?

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ixent (☼Travelguide writer) says on Dec 5, 2008, 02:29:

Yes Dolfi, both Uribe and Chavez are in the same boat here. One is from the left, the other from the right, but apart from that, they have quite a few similarities.

Both have allegedly been extremely popular at points in their presidency.
Both have tried to extend their terms by more than was allowed originally.
Both have been criticised by Human Rights Watch for actions which lead to violations of human rights (Uribe probably much more so, though).
Both have undermined the democratic institutions in their country by centralizing the power.

At least Chavez speaks his mind and denounces things that other heads of state would not dare to (e.g., about US foreign policy). But he is also very impulsive at times (e.g., the threat of war with Colombia), and a head of state cannot afford to be irresponsible in that way.

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ixent (☼Travelguide writer) says on Dec 5, 2008, 02:32:

La Huella, didn't you hear Uribe's famous (or infamous) Hecatombe speech?

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Tolú says on Dec 5, 2008, 04:26:

Maybe Chávez and his boyfriend Uribe can fuck off to Uruguay and enjoy an early retirement together.

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