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Chavez Wins Referendum to Stay in Power

By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 15, 2009 8:49 PM CST
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(Newser) – Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez won a key referendum today that will keep him in office for as long as he wins elections, Reuters reports. After years of debate, Chavez supporters voted to abolish term limits that would have ended his rule in 2013. The reported margin of victory, 54% to 46%, was bigger than expected after polls gave Chavez only a slight lead.

The outcome increases support for his anti-US and socialist policies, but the global credit crunch may limit his power to spend oil money on increasing his influence. Still, his splintered opposition suffered a huge loss after making gains in recent ballots. Now, as one pro-Chavez demonstrator said in Craacas, "the future of this country is in the president's hands."

Supporters of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez celebrate prior to the release of any official results on Sunday's referendum in Caracas, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.
Supporters of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez celebrate prior to the release of any official results on Sunday's referendum in Caracas, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
Supporters of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez celebrate before any results on Sunday's referendum were released in downtown Caracas, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.
Supporters of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez celebrate before any results on Sunday's referendum were released in downtown Caracas, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Enric Marti)
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez shows his ballot to the press before voting on a constitutional amendment referendum at a polling station in Caracas Sunday Feb. 15, 2009.
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez shows his ballot to the press before voting on a constitutional amendment referendum at a polling station in Caracas Sunday Feb. 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Supporters of the NO vote on Sunday's referendum, react prior to the release of any official results in Caracas, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.
Supporters of the NO vote on Sunday's referendum, react prior to the release of any official results in Caracas, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Howard Yanes)
An opposition supporter, backing the No vote on Sunday's referendum, waits for results in Caracas, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.
An opposition supporter, backing the No vote on Sunday's referendum, waits for results in Caracas, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Howard Yanes)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
Guest
Feb 17, 2009 1:49 AM CST
Maybe when it's a fair election, and the opposition doesn't drop out before the actual vote, which happens all the time in Venezuela.
Vostok
Feb 17, 2009 1:03 AM CST
""I have come to the conclusion that the 22nd Amendment [limiting the presidency to two terms] was a mistake. Shouldn't the people have the right to vote for someone as many times as they want to vote for him?"" Ronald Reagan
Vostok
Feb 15, 2009 9:42 PM CST
Yay!

 
Venezuela • Hugo Chávez • referendum • term limits

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