CARACAS, Tuesday August 26, 2008 | Update
The Venezuelan opposition party Primero Justicia announced
on Monday that it will support the initiative of the union
and professional associations to collect signatures to endorse
a request to the Organization of American States (OAS) to
discuss in a plenary session the alteration of constitutional
order in Venezuela by President Hugo Chávez after the
enactment of 26 decree-laws that could be contrary to the
Venezuelan Constitution. .
Elenis Rodríguez, a member of the direction of the Venezuelan
national party, said that the signatures will not repeat the
negative experiences of Tascón and Maisanta lists, since
the forms with signatures will not be disclosed by the OAS.
In February 2004, pro-government legislator Luis Tascón
collected copies of signatures of petitioners for the recall
referendum and published them on his website. After the publication,
there were reports of government reprisals against people
appearing in the list.
The promoters of the initiative will meet in the coming days
to plan a symbolic occupation of squares in the country in
order to raise support to seek OAS intervention.
04:43 PM. Politics. President Hugo Chávez set a date for a constitutional amendment which allows for indefinite reelection. He said that December is enough to prepare everything and the referendum could be held in January.