Venezuela update
That Hugo Chavez and his Castro-lite policies sure are popular in Venezuala — oh, wait, here’s an interesting story by Andy Webb-Vidal of the Financial Times: Hugo Chávez, Venezuela’s president, looks set to face a recall referendum in early August that could see him ousted from office, after electoral authorities on Thursday declared valid an ...
That Hugo Chavez and his Castro-lite policies sure are popular in Venezuala -- oh, wait, here's an interesting story by Andy Webb-Vidal of the Financial Times:
That Hugo Chavez and his Castro-lite policies sure are popular in Venezuala — oh, wait, here’s an interesting story by Andy Webb-Vidal of the Financial Times:
Hugo Chávez, Venezuela’s president, looks set to face a recall referendum in early August that could see him ousted from office, after electoral authorities on Thursday declared valid an opposition-filed petition seeking a vote. Jorge Rodríguez, a senior director of the National Electoral Council (CNE), announced that a preliminary count had found that 2.45m signatures on a petition were valid – fewer than 16,000 signatures above the required threshold. The preliminary result, which had not been expected until today, appears to mark the end of a year-long campaign by opponents of Mr Chávez to secure a recall vote. The CNE previously said that a referendum could take place on August 8. Opponents were in celebratory mood last night. In Caracas, the capital, last night fireworks were set off, and motorists sounded car horns. “We made it,” said Enrique Mendoza, an opposition governor and leader of the Democratic Coordinator, the loose opposition alliance. “Nothing or no one will impede us from opening the door to a future without violence,” he said.
Voice of America reports that Chavez sain in a televised address that, “he is ready to face a recall referendum.” Chavez’s supporters might not be, according to the FT:
Shortly before the CNE issued the results, gunmen apparently aligned to the government used automoatic weapons to attack the office of the mayor of metropolitan Caracas, a staunch opponent of Mr Chávez. There were also warnings that a sector within the military is virulently opposed to the idea of a referendum. An important group of pro-Chávez army battalion commanders stand to lose key privileges if there is a change of government arising from a referendum, which some polls suggest Mr Chávez would lose. “This group is willing to effectively kick over the table to ensure there is no referendum,” an army colonel said.
Be sure to check out this news analysis by Richard Brand of the Miami Herald as well. Chavez has been counted out before, so the successful petition drive hardly ensures his removal. Still, this is an encouraging sign.
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner
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