Zulia governor and opposition leader Manuel Rosales Thursday said President Hugo Chávez's plans to advance a new constitutional reform run counter the Constitution in force, as it establishes that no constitutional reform rejected in a vote can be put for vote again under the same presidential period.

Rosales Thursday branded as "arrogance" President Chávez's intention to convene a new referendum to approve his constitutional reform -defeated in a vote held last December 2.

"He is bragging because he is still stunned by the result (the people's rejection against his intended reform), because neither him nor his cronies expected such a result," Rosales told local Unión Radio.

Chávez's project to change 69 out of the 350 articles comprising the 1999 Constitution, including a provision allowing for the presidential indefinite reelection and new forms of property, including community property, was rejected last December 2 in a referendum with 51-49 percent. Abstention was 44.11 percent.

Rosales said the Venezuelan people spoke up clearly and said they do not want a lifetime president; they do not want a replica of Fidel Castro in Venezuela," Efe reported.