VENEZUELANS YESTERDAY voted to abolish term limits for elected officials, boosting President Hugo Chávez’s ambition to rule the country for decades.
Electoral authorities said 54 per cent of voters in the referendum backed a constitutional amendment allowing indefinite re-election, with 46 per cent rejecting it – a margin of nearly 1 million voters.
An exultant Mr Chávez appeared on the balcony of the presidential palace in Caracas to address cheering supporters. “It is a clear victory for the people,” he said. “It is a clear victory for the revolution.” The result will boost his effort to transform the Opec country into a socialist state and burnish his leadership of Latin America’s “pink tide” of left-wing governments. The president’s mentor and ally, Fidel Castro, sent congratulations from his sick bed.
The US made no comment, but the Obama administration will be dismayed at the prospect of an emboldened foe in Caracas.
Mr Chávez, a 54-year-old former tank commander, has been in power for a decade and plans to run for election again when his term ends in 2013. He has spoken of ruling beyond 2030 to cement his self-styled socialist revolution.
However, plunging oil revenues are expected to hit the Venezuelan economy and Mr Chávez’s petro-fuelled diplomacy soon.
Some analysts predict stagflation and devaluation of the bolivar – the kind of grim cycle that undid previous Venezuelan leaders – and there was speculation that Mr Chávez had rushed through the referendum before the crisis hit.
The unexpectedly wide margin of victory prompted rapturous celebrations among chávistas, who credit their charismatic leader for poverty-alleviating social programmes, notably free healthcare and discounted food.
“We did it, we won – this is a great night,” said Freddy Ramirez (48), a security guard. Fireworks lit up the night sky and cars filled with flag-waving supporters drove around the capital.
However, not everybody celebrated. “Chávez has screwed this country enough already,” Ricardo Torres, a 56-year-old courier, said. He blamed the president for crumbling infrastructure, high crime and inflation.
Voters had narrowly rejected a similar referendum to abolish presidential term limits in December 2007. Mr Chávez learned the lessons of that defeat, this time widening the terms of the referendum to allow mayors and governors to run indefinitely, giving them an incentive to mobilise support.
The fragmented opposition of small political parties and university students accepted defeat but complained that the government had hijacked state resources and hobbled the No campaign. “There was an abuse of power,” said David Smolanksy, a student leader. – (Guardian service)