Chavez gets sweeping powers

CARACAS – President Hugo Chavez was granted free rein to accelerate changes in broad areas of society by presidential decree – a move critics said propels Venezuela toward dictatorship.

Convening in a downtown plaza in a session that resembled a political rally, lawmakers on Wednesday unanimously gave Chavez sweeping powers to legislate by decree and impose his radical vision of a more egalitarian socialist state. “Long live the sovereign people! Long live President Hugo Chavez! Long live socialism!” said National Assembly President Cilia Flores as she proclaimed the “enabling law” approved by a show of hands.”Fatherland, socialism or death! We will prevail!” The law gives Chavez, who is beginning a fresh six-year term, more power than he has ever had in eight years as president, and he plans to use it during the next 18 months to transform broad areas of public life, from the economy and the oil industry in particular, to “social matters” and the very structure of the state.His critics call it a radical lurch toward authoritarianism by a leader with unchecked power – similar to how Fidel Castro monopolised leadership years ago in Cuba.”If you have all the power, why do you need more power?” said Luis Gonzalez, a high school teacher who paused to watch in the plaza, calling it a “media show” intended to give legitimacy to a repugnant move.”We’re headed toward a dictatorship, disguised as a democracy.”Hundreds of Chavez supporters wearing ruling-party red gathered in the plaza, waving signs reading “Socialism is democracy,” as lawmakers read out passages of the law giving the president special powers to transform 11 areas of Venezuelan law.”The people of Venezuela, not just the National Assembly, are giving this enabling power to the president of the republic,” congresswoman Iris Varela told the crowd.US President George W Bush said Wednesday that he’s “concerned about the Venezuelan people.””I am concerned about the undermining of democratic institutions.And we’re working to help prevent that from happening,” Bush said in an interview with Fox News.But in the square in Caracas, Venezuelan Vice President Jorge Rodriguez publicly ridiculed the idea that the law is an abuse of power, and argued democracy is flourishing.Nampa-AP”Long live the sovereign people! Long live President Hugo Chavez! Long live socialism!” said National Assembly President Cilia Flores as she proclaimed the “enabling law” approved by a show of hands.”Fatherland, socialism or death! We will prevail!” The law gives Chavez, who is beginning a fresh six-year term, more power than he has ever had in eight years as president, and he plans to use it during the next 18 months to transform broad areas of public life, from the economy and the oil industry in particular, to “social matters” and the very structure of the state.His critics call it a radical lurch toward authoritarianism by a leader with unchecked power – similar to how Fidel Castro monopolised leadership years ago in Cuba.”If you have all the power, why do you need more power?” said Luis Gonzalez, a high school teacher who paused to watch in the plaza, calling it a “media show” intended to give legitimacy to a repugnant move.”We’re headed toward a dictatorship, disguised as a democracy.”Hundreds of Chavez supporters wearing ruling-party red gathered in the plaza, waving signs reading “Socialism is democracy,” as lawmakers read out passages of the law giving the president special powers to transform 11 areas of Venezuelan law.”The people of Venezuela, not just the National Assembly, are giving this enabling power to the president of the republic,” congresswoman Iris Varela told the crowd.US President George W Bush said Wednesday that he’s “concerned about the Venezuelan people.””I am concerned about the undermining of democratic institutions.And we’re working to help prevent that from happening,” Bush said in an interview with Fox News.But in the square in Caracas, Venezuelan Vice President Jorge Rodriguez publicly ridiculed the idea that the law is an abuse of power, and argued democracy is flourishing.Nampa-AP