I'm back from vacation. Venezuela wishes it could take one.
I got back from my trip to Indianapolis the day-before-yesterday: while I had a great time there attending the GenCon Game Fair, spending yesterday recovering from a sinus headache (probably induced by the airline air-conditioning) was not my idea of a fun coda. Still, there are a few days yet to go before I return to the dreaded day-job, so there's still time to scamper and play. 
And there's news to catch up on. While I scan through a week's worth of blog posts and newspapers (OK, I marked all the blog posts "read." Sue me. There were thousands, and they scared me. 
), I do want to point you to this item on the dying gasps of democracy in Venezuela: Venezuela Congress OKs Chavez's reforms
Venezuela's National Assembly, dominated by allies of President Hugo Chavez, gave unanimous initial approval Tuesday to constitutional reforms that would allow him to run for re-election and possibly govern for decades to come.
Assembly President Cilia Flores said Chavez's proposed changes to the constitution, including the lifting of presidential term limits, were approved by all 167 lawmakers after about six hours of debate.
Final approval is expected within two or three months, and voters will then decide whether to approve the changes in a referendum.
The assembly has been solidly pro-Chavez since the opposition boycotted a 2005 vote and had been expected to sign off on the changes proposed by Chavez in Tuesday's first reading. The reforms, if approved, would extend presidential terms from six to seven years and allow Chavez to run again in 2013.
Government opponents have attacked the reforms, saying they will weaken democracy by permitting Chavez to become a lifelong leader like his ally Fidel Castro of Cuba.
Let's see, six hours debate on major constitutional changes and --surprise, surprise!-- the vote was unanimous. Stalin and Hitler would be proud. Sure, Chavez and his toadies have promised that these reforms will lead to "greater democracy," but it's my opinion that this is true only in an Orwellian sense. Chavez's "reforms" include the creation of "neighborhood-based 'communal councils' administrative responsibilities usually reserved for elected officials and create 'a popular militia' that would form part of the military." Both of these are moves frequently seen when dictators try to supplant centers of authority that might oppose them. It would be a safe bet to assume that these new and probably appointed councils will have more authority than the old elected ones, and the militia will provide Chavez with a trained goon force to use against his enemies foreign and domestic, much like Iran's Basij militia and Revolutionary Guard, and the Nazis' SA and SS. (And it's no coincidence that this new militia is being created after Chavez becomes good friends with Iran.)
And let's do away with the "Chavez won elections, so he's only doing the people's will" crap. The 2004 referendum that returned him to power was rigged, despite Jimmy Carter's endorsement. Chavez is piece-by-piece turning Venezuela into an oil-rich version of Cuba, with himself ready to take the stage when Fidel finally dies.
Oh, and before we forget, Chavez is also a dirty little anti-Semite.
(hat tip: Blue Crab Boulevard)
Recent Comments