Politics
Lawmaker Ismael García (Podemos) tried to confront the overwhelming red majority in the National Assembly and resorted to the words of leftist Latin American Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Tabaré Vázquez and Rafael Correa; quoted former President Ricardo Lagos and even Cuban singer and songwriter Pablo Milanés.

During his speech at the special session where the National Assembly endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment to allow for unlimited reelection of all elected incumbencies, the secretary general of Podemos recalled that such leftist leaders and the Cuban musician have rebutted endless reelection publicly. 

"The only two projects that aim to indefinite reelection in Latin America are those in Colombia and Venezuela," García said, highlighting the coincidence between President Hugo Chávez and his Colombian counterpart Álvaro Uribe. The leader of former pro-government party Podemos said "No" to both leaders as well as to the proposal to amend the Venezuelan constitution. 

However, the majority at the National Assembly, mostly members of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and their allies, did not pay attention to García and insisted that President Hugo Chávez's proposal is intended to expand the political rights of Venezuelans.

Mario Isea, the leader of the socialist bloc in the National Assembly, opened the debate in the second discussion of the draft amendment. Twenty-four legislators took the floor in the debate which began at 12:35 pm.

Isea highlighted that this initiative deepens democracy. He also said that in the past "Venezuela was the victim of a false principle of alternative governments that translated into a bipartisan regime with only superficial changes."

Different approaches
At the end of this speech, Cilia Flores, the Speaker of the National Assembly- took the floor to claim that private news network Globovisión was trying to manipulate public opinion at that moment, as it allegedly reported that the Venezuelan legislators were debating "indefinite reelection." 

If President Chávez listened to the speech of former PSUV lawmaker Luis Tascón, he would have warned him: "Don't help, compadre!" The legislator from Táchira state conceded, "I do not like the reelection of all elected officials". Tascón highlighted that the limits imposed in the Constitution are designed to prevent the establishment of an elite class in power.

However, Tascón voted "Yes" because he feared the return to power of AD and Copei, the traditional parties in Venezuela. "I prefer Chávez than the parties of the past," Tascón said.

Ricardo Gutiérrez (Podemos) denied that the political rights of citizens would increase with the approval of the bill. "We will expand the rights of a small minority who has already taken the power."

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas

Pedro Pablo Peñaloza
EL UNIVERSAL