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Venezuelans Reject Constitutional Change, Chavez Accepts
CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez acknowledged Monday his first-ever election defeat after voters rejected reforms in a weekend referendum that would have strengthened his grip on power and turned his oil-rich country into a socialist state.
"Don't feel sad," a chastened-looking Chavez told his supporters via a media conference. He stressed that he had lost by only a "minimal" margin and was encouraged by the support he did get.
The National Electoral Council said "no" votes against the reforms had outweighed "yes" votes by a very narrow 51 to 49 percent.
"I tell you from the heart: For a few hours I debated with myself, in a dilemma," Chavez said. "I've now left the dilemma behind and I'm calm. I hope the Venezuelans are as well."
He added: "Now, Venezuelans, let's put our trust in our institutions."
Opposition members and sympathizers immediately celebrated their victory, setting off fireworks in Caracas and filling the streets with cheers and whistles.
Chavez supporters, in contrast, looked despondent in their red campaign colors, their "yes" flags and banners lowered.
It was the first time since Chavez came to power in 1999 that he has lost at the polls. In all his past elections, the charismatic leftwing firebrand triumphed with comfortable leads.
During his campaigning for the referendum, the president had labeled as "traitors" those swelling the ranks of the opposition -- including an unprecedented number of the country's poor, who, while still expressing affection for him, balked at endorsing his reforms.
Chavez, a firebrand critic of the United States with ties to Iran and Cuba, had been counting on the referendum to continue his rule beyond January 2013, when he must step down under the current constitutional two-term limit.
The 53-year-old former paratrooper had said he wanted the constitution overhauled so he could seek re-election "until 2050" -- when he would be 95.
He had also wanted to gain even tighter control over the country by putting more of the military under his command, permitting media censorship in times of emergency and scrapping the central bank's autonomy.
But street protests started by university students put paid to those ambitions, growing into the grassroots opposition movement that eventually vanquished him at the polls.
His exhortations that a "no" vote would be a vote for US President George W. Bush and US "imperialism" failed to carry the day in his favor.
There was a disturbing few hours after the vote, however, during which the government gave no results whatsoever and Chavez pondered what to do.
With the opposition clamoring for the release of figures -- and soldiers moving in to block entry to the National Electoral Council building -- a media conference was finally held in the early hours of Monday in which NEC chief Tibisay Lucena announced the defeat of the reforms.
Chavez mocked the opposition in his concession speech, saying that their concerns that he might refuse to accept the result were clearly misplaced.
"Now the tensions have dropped I hope they will see things more calmly," he said.
Fears remained of street violence in the wake of the result, however.
Chavez also warned right up to the eve of the referendum that he suspected the United States had a plan to exploit the vote to sow unrest, and he vowed to cut oil supplies to the US if he saw any meddling.
A historian, Margarita Lopez Maya, told AFP that the result was "a personal rout for the president" but overall good for the country.
"Chavez will survive, but will be forced to rethink the timing of his project and the ways he might be able to persuade the population," she said.
Venezuela's constitution prevents Chavez from re-presenting his constitutional reform under the current congress -- though he could conceivably appoint a constituent assembly to draft an entirely new basic law for adoption.
© 2007 Agence France Presse
112 Comments so far
Show All"a community is like a ship; everybody ought to be prepared to take the helm."
---henrik ibsen
no single person is indispensable. what matters is the common agenda, and in this context, i see this minor setback as salutary. if chavez is half the visionary he appears to be, he's already training his replacements.
Also glad this initiative failed in Venezula but I wish there was some way of stopping Bush from making changes to the laws whenever it is a benefit to this gov't and the Repugs. All nice and legal like though because they were passed by his lacky judges. Heck, they even make them retroactive (like the torture ones)when they have to.
This is good news and I hope Chavez really learned something and will continue his work in socializing Latin America. If he can tone down the rhetoric a little and concentrate on freeing his people from rampant Capitalism, he will be seen as a hero.
Maybe this is another step for Democratic Socialism? Let's hope so.
"But Chavez- despite the talk about his "dictatorship" and his "ego"- this coming from citizens of a country that believes it has the right to melt down the world twenty times over- is a savvy man, and will learn much from this."
You're right, eshu, this comes from citizens of a country that practices hegemony. The thing to keep in mind is that we are in solidarity as we don't like what our government is doing, and are working to change that.
Be that as it may, the Venezuelan people have spoken, and I think wisely so.
I'm not glad for this defeat, and don't much care how satisfied "leftists" from the United States are about it. But Chavez- despite the talk about his "dictatorship" and his "ego"- this coming from citizens of a country that believes it has the right to melt down the world twenty times over- is a savvy man, and will learn much from this. And he will accomplish his reforms, with more careful timing. The mass needs more time to assume leadership. They will do so. And nothing will stop the Venezuelan revolution, with or without Chavez. Then we'll see what all these wiseacres, these fucking fairweather friends in this country,have to say.
Like any child, Hugo wanted to see exactly how far he could go with his parents (the Venezuelan electorate). This time he went too far and was soundly rebuked not only by those who have always oppossed everything he has ever tried, but also by many long time supporters and friends.
It will be both interesting and instructive to see how El Presidente' responds to this correction in his (so far) unbroken string of successes. This will be a true measure of the health of the Venezuelan democracy and I for one will be cheering for both Hugo and the electorate down there to find common ground where they share a vision in order to move the Bolivarian socialist experiment forward.
It is always possible to learn more from failures than successes--if there is a willingness to learn.
I support the Chavez movement, but I'm glad for this defeat. Leaders accepting defeat at the polls is most fundemental component of electoral democracy. In the long run it will probably strengthen Chavez himself. Besides, his ego has be getting a little out of control.
All men are mortal and who knows what evil might come after Hugo. It's best to keep the term limits.
Amazing... Bush has been tryin so hard to demonize Chavez and here he took rejection of his endless Ego.. pretty Good and he will be in power for many years after Bush will be hunted by InTerPol for crimes against Humanity....
According to the Prophecy
I thought left wingers hung around here. Guess I was wrong.
eshu, iammyself, hazmat; Thanks! You echo my thoughts.
Remember one thing, The 'wag the dog' operatives have been in Venezuela for a long time, working 24/7 in fomenting unrest, against Chavez and his programs. These people never rest. Good quote from Ibsen.
Whatever, Hugo is still the 'man'!
Hogwash! If it weren't for the intensive meddling of Washington and the oligarchy's "news" media, this "election" would have had an entirely different outcome. Regarding abolishing term limits - it's not like they were talking about eliminating elections. Bill Clinton suggested abolishing term limits - if that idea had flown over here, He could have been re-elected and Bush could have stayed out of the white house. There's much more to the story than is evidently known by most of you who've commented on this article. The mainstream press including AFP - is part of the establishment and should not be trusted.
The "news media" had a black-out on the following CIA story. Chavez's group could have used it as a good reason to reschedule the election for next year:
CIA Venezuela Destabilization Memo Surfaces
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/2911
It's time for Chavez to get tough on the enemies of truth, justice and democracy.
As noted elsewhere:
BushClintonBushClinton
and anyone in the US has the nerve to criticize Chavez?
In addition, many countries, like Canada & Britain do not have term limits.
Nothing wrong with having another Roosevelt as opposed to another Bush.
It is all in who it is rather than the time they are there.
Looks like the people of Venezuela dodged a bullet on that one. It was time for Chavez to get a reality check.
Reality check...
Bush...Clinton....Bush...Clinton....
Yeah, right.
I have mixed feelings about the referendum results.
As someone who lives in Latin America (Mexico for 15 years) and who spends time in Venezuela and supports the Bolivarian project as one of the VERY few on the planet that is positive I would have liked to see folks less fearful, more ready to risk the status quo in pursuit of something a lot better.
I also know the electorate--not just in Venezuela but here in Mexico and also in the US--of which I am a citizen, still--and how easy it is to manipulate it by fear.
It was precisely fear that was used as The Big Stick in this referendum: Fear that a very popular president was going to become a dictator in the very unhealthy tradition that has existed here, in every instance with either the active installation of same by the Us--or at the very least with its active support--which has created a history of terror and misery.
The fact that most countries in the European Union, for example, do not set term limits for their presidents was conveniently not part of the fear-based propaganda that bludgeoned the Venezuelan electorate.
The opposition--I would like to HOPE--will mature some after this victory, but I doubt it.
The Opposition has not grown in number--as it marshalled a mere three hundred thousand more voters to its cause in the year since Chavez was re-elected president with 63% of the vote.
The chavistas brought 3 million fewer voters to the polls, however--with the highest abstention of any election (except for the one for the National Assembly which the opposition boycotted).
I THINK--and of course I could be completely wrong--that the 3 million fewer votes had to do with two things: the manipulation of fear (including the violence in the run up to the voting) and the short time given for discussion and debate in a REAL sense.
On the plus side, as has already been mentioned ad infinitum, yesterday's referendum demonstrates that democracy is more than alive and well in the Venezuela of president Chavez--something that cannot be said here in Mexico after last year's fraudulent election that included a Dirty War in its run up--nor in the US, where folks' votes are not even counted if they are demographically risky--and in many cases, the demographically risky are simply not allowed to vote.
Those who see the referendum results as a setback for Chavez would be well-advised to analyse the situation.
Chavez has a history of making great lemonade when life hands him lemons--as evidenced by his being elected president after a failed coup attempt, his return to Miraflores after 47 hours during the coup against him in 2002, his masterful management of the sabotage against the petroleum industry in Dec. 2002-Jan. 2003--which did close to 20 billion dollars' damage and from which the Venezuelan economy bounced back to the tune of a major boom which continues to this moment.
I am sure he was feeling a little down when the CNE announced the results, as he is very high on the feeling scale, but he is also one of the most intelligent leaders on the planet: It didn't take him long to re-establish his serenity and get moving forward.
If there were more leaders like Chavez, the planet would not be in the disastrous state it's in--and our species would not be facing a much-merited extinction.
I am deeply saddened that Chavez was not able to create a socialist state similar to Cuba. Perhaps Bolivia will lead the way and the people of Venezuela will eventually learn that this would not be a bad thing.
miftin:
Please be advised that neither Chavez nor Evo has proposed the Cuban model for his country.
I am not sure where you got that idea--but it sounds like you ate some toxic propaganda.
Something wrong with Cuba?
Sounds like it's better than it used to be when we used it as a whorehouse. seems to me castro cares more about his people than our gov care about us.
Remember that the majority of Venezuelans are indigenous people. The values of indigenous people celebrate cooperation and community not individualism and competition. So it is wholly consistent with indigenous values that a socialist state will be created. It will not be a European socialist model but instead an indigenous socialist model based upon indigenous values and lifeways. Chavez and the Venezuelans are actively involved in eliminating five hundred years of western imperialism and western dominion and they are succeeding. This election is just a correction of the Chavez overreaches and not a rebuke of indigenous socialist values. Even in this defeat it is the west and western values that are in retreat.
This is a bad day for Venezuela and just as bad for the USA as well all the human race. The reform would have won without the phony damn hard core loony right. far right US campaign against hadn't be to well orchestrated by the enemies of all working people everywhere. May these bastards go straight to hell and take their 30 pieces of silver with them!
Nothing is wrong with Cuba.
I was just indicating what I said: neither Chavez nor Evo is promoting the same model for his country.
As an indigenous person (Mohawk Nation) I have to say that although the majority of folks in Bolivia are indigenous, it is not the case in Venezuela. In Venezuela, as in other Caribbean countries where slaves were brought to work in mines and plantations, the majority is mestizo: a mix of African, indigenous and white.
"I thought left wingers hung around here. Guess I was wrong."
many kinds of people hang around here, i'd have to say i am in the "center". why is is that leftists are often as intolerant as the righties that they despise? I am glad for the vote and the defeat now chavez knows his limits.
Intolerance is the attitude of the times.
It is no political ideology's property.
It is fomented by all types.
Guess there are too many folks on the planet. A study done back in the 50s or 60s with rats showed how when they are in cages with a dense population they attack and kill each other.
It won't be long, the way we are going, for the planet to be able to breathe a big sigh of relief that she is free of us.
I agree that the U.S. had its fingers in this pie and fear continued meddling to undermine Venezuela's revolution. This is why Chavez felt the Constitution should be changed. Still, I have to admire his acceptance of the vote. He knows he is on the right path. Perhaps justice will win out this time. Compare him to "Perv" Musharraf, who is absolutely terrified of the idea that democracy should take hold in Pakistan.
moonraven; 2;41 pm post...You hit the bullseye in the last two paragraphs. A very touchy subject that only China seems to want to talk about.
Paul Ehrlich has written and lectured about it for over forty years.
All you really have to do is see which leaders are supported by the US to know where the worst "baddies" on the planet are.
It's a 100% infallible litmus test.
And it is shameful--one of the biggest reasons why I left the US.
If his term limits were removed I fear that Chavez would end up becoming his own enemy and falling prey to the inevitible corruption of power. Even the most well intentioned, intelligent, humanitarian person will end up falling victim to the corruption of power. It just a matter of time. Term limits are a necessary checksum.
Lorax: At least 17 countries in Europe do not have term limits for their first ministers or presidents.
Maybe you should be complaining about THEM?
That particular red herring is another example of the propaganda that bombarded folks during the runup to the referendum.
It also smacks of racism: It's okay for white Europeans to govern without term limits--but non-whites are more likely to abuse their power....
Propaganda comes in many forms.
Racism is usually at the basis of propaganda.
"a community is like a ship; everybody ought to be prepared to take the helm."
—henrik ibsen
Interesting . This is the same ideal that the mayor held invincible in the little,un-named,Nazi-occupied Norwegian town in John Steinbeck's only novel " The Moon Is Down ", as
far as I know , not set in America .
Great read in egalitarian citizenship.
Couldn't help but notice how some of you are bleeding, ideologically speaking, of course.
You guys are so self-centered that you think the world revolves around you (USA) and insult other peoples' intelligence by always assuming that Bush is behind whatever doesn't go according to your vision of the world. I voted against Chavez yesterday and feel extremely satisfied he got his rear end whipped for trying to become Hugo I, instead of the president of ALL Venezuelans.
Grow up for Christ'sake and stop whining.
"Hogwash! If it weren't for the intensive meddling of Washington and the oligarchy's "news" media, this "election" would have had an entirely different outcome."
Well, this is true, and something I've considered, as have others here.
Still, the axiom that power corrupts holds sway over others, IMO. Democracy is good, rulers for life not so. Also my opinion.
"You guys are so self-centered that you think the world revolves around you (USA) and insult other peoples' intelligence by always assuming that Bush is behind whatever doesn't go according to your vision of the world."
powerbook,
It doesn't take much intelligence to know that the US government is behind much of what happens in Latin America. Not to take anything away from your vote, but believe me, you weren't alone.
so powerbook,
How many times has the USA-CIA meddled in Venezuela--or, for that matter, the majority of Latin American countries?
Either you are of the class of poor Cubans fleeing to the US with suitcases full of money, or you are a sucker for thinking the US doesn't have it's finger in your pie, stirring...stirring.
powerbook:
I tried to make sense of your post, and I give: I cannot make sense of it.
Why would only folks from the US believe that Bush is behind anything that doesn't conform with ONE's view of the world.
The US runs on the platform of hegemony, and of using the big stick to bring other countries into line. It has always done so. It has come out against Chavez since before he was first elected president in 1998. It has poured millions of its citizens' tax dollars into the coffers of the opposition in Venezuela.
Now you want to tell us that we should believe that the US kept its hands out of THIS particular process?
Pull the other one.
If there are any Spanish-speakers on this thread, I recommend that they read the book Un siglo de terror en América Latina, by Luis Suárez Salazar.
It is a little tedious, like most academic writing, but is impeccably documented and shows the crimes against humanity committed by the US government since just before the turn of the twentieth century.
It's available from Ocean--which is based in Australia, I believe.
moonraven -
You must be from England.
Why make racist references to my post? There is nothing racist about it. I did not say it was OK for white Europeans to govern without term limits. All countries and all races should have them. To remove term limits is to open the doors to fascism.
I seem to recall that it happened historically. I believe it happened in Europe....
"To remove term limits is to open the doors to fascism."
Indeed. I'd like to see term limits for ALL elected officials. In Congress, it should be 12 years - 2 terms for the Senate, 6 for the House, then out for at least one term. ALL elected officials!
Professional politicians are killing this country!
Moonraven:
Excellent posts-all.
Perhaps you should perhaps READ folks' posts before making accusations.
I would not be caught dead anywhere near England, but am a US citizen, Native American from the Mohawk Nation, and have lived for most of the past 15 years in Mexico.
European history is well within the friendly confines of my knowledge.
Fascism in Europe--in the majority of cases--didn't arrive because there were not term limits.
Nothing like that.
The prototypical fascist state has to be the Spain of Franco--who ruled with an iron fist and the support of the Catholic Church (which apologized 10 days ago for that--too little, too late) for just under 40 years.
Franco did not come to power through the ballot box, but by rebelling AGAINST the elected government, creating a civil war which killed to this day untold thousands.
He ruled till he died--lack of term limits had nothing to do with it.
I made NO racist references to your post. I did indicate that racism is usually at the bottom of the comment that you posted.
TheLorax, you have it the wrong way round. Term limits are imposed in countries where the political system is essentially broken. In the United States, it is not possible to be elected unless you are bought off by corporations, and you are therefore corrupt, so term limits attempt (poorly) to provide a check for this. In countries where representatives support the people rather than corporations, term limits are not needed. As soon as someone becomes corrupt, they are voted out.
Your comment about Europe is spurious. Fascism hasn't returned to Europe for sixty years. Are you suggesting Hitler wouldn't have come to power if Germany had term limits at the time?
Please compare the democratic and gentlemanly way in which Hugo Chavez handled this "defeat" and the corruption following the 2002 election and the situation in Florida. Again in the so-called election in Ohio when George Bush was selected through another corrupted situation. And now, we are spreading our style of Democracy throughout the Mideast with bullets and bombs. Death rides our white horse.
moonraven,
Paz, compañero. Creo que estamos en el mismo lado, pero no vamos a ver todo egualmente. ¿Porque tenemos que luchar entre nosotros?
It's just that we've seen too much of power grabs to be comfortable with leaders for life. We don't have to look at Europe, but rather Pakistan.
America, please don't give me any BS about Chavez being a dictator. The man respects the results, that's hardly dictatorial. BTW, the decision to reject Chavez's initiatives could hardly be considered a mandate. Of course the US government crows that the people of Venezuela rejected Chavez's unlimited powers. That coming from a real dictatorship (Bush's) which believes that it's ok for Bush to have unlimited powers and snatch anyone, anywhere from around the world who dares criticize Bush. America, you always manage to outdo yourself!!!!
I'm sure the US CIA was busy down south prior to this election.
And i don't care. US meddling in South and Central America is
not exactly new. What is new is a powerful leader of an oil rich
South American country bowing to the will of his people. In the same
situation, if it had occurred in the US, George w. would have just added
a signing statement to the election results stating that he wouldn't
abide by the results because of reasons of national security.
The real beauty of this article is that Mr. Chavez shows that there are
still leaders out there who operate out of integrity even if it's not in their
own short term political interests. I'd swap Hugo for george in a heartbeat.
Want change, first be the change.
moonraven,
I love your posts except for your frequent expressions of hostility to the human race, and your seeming embrace of extinction (obviously because of frustration). If you are so hostile to the human race, you should support Bush and Cheney as they are your best bets to end it.
If any of us were left on earth without other humans, we would soon find that the other residents, e.g. bugs, beasts, and bacteria, were not so cuddly, friendly, and loving after all, and we would likely face a Hobbesian reality where life is nasty, brutish, and short. Humanity is our mother, not the earth. The earth is a rock.
I think this thread is starting to come unglued.
No one could seriously consider defending George Bush as an example of a democratic leader--and I don't think anyone IS defending him.
Those folks who give some serious attention to the Maya-Hopi prophecies--among whom are both Chávez and this poster--have had a real sense of urgency about creating a new system. It would have helped for this referendum to pass.
I believe that Chávez is still optimistic that a critical mass of new consciousness can and will be created in time.
I am not really that optimistic.
My point about term limits is thus:
Let's assume for a second that England (or France or Italy)got bush instead of America. With no term limits in place to stop him, he would rule the country for the rest of his natural lifetime. (Through rigged elections and fear mongering) As the years continued, the country would gradually abandon it's Constitution and become a fascist neo-religious state similar to Nazi Germany in 1943. Neighboring countries would be in danger of being attacked. Please observe how much damage bush has done to America even with our term limits in place. I shudder to imagine what it would be like if we didn't have them.
I feel that without term limits, eventually a "bush" will rise in that country and destroy it's democracy.
"Humanity is our mother, not the earth. The earth is a rock."
That was a little harsh, kivals. Earth was seen as our mother long before our ancestors ever figured out that they could plant and grow things in her. I think those who figured out the right balance deserve some respect.