[NYTr] Constitutional Reform Supporters, Opponents Gather in Venezuela

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

Constitutional Reform Supporters, Opponents Gather in Venezuela

Caracas, Oct 30 (Prensa Latina) Supporters and opponents of a
constitutional reform in discussion held demonstrations in the
surrounding areas of Venezuelan National Assembly, coincidently with
the beginning of the last discussion of the proposal.

Troops of Metropolitan Police and National Guard bet between the two
groups that shouted slogans in favor and against, respectively, to
avoid confrontations.

The reform proposed by President of the country Hugo Chavez is aimed at
giving constitutional foundation to the socialist project he proposed
during the electoral campaign, in which he won with more than 61
percents of the votes in December.

The opposition demonstration was called by the party Primero Justicia,
considered a new version of the old Venezuelan right that governed
during almost half a century until 1999.

A commission of deputies was designated by the plenary of National
Assembly to listen to the views of the opposition group.

The project of constitutional reform mobilized those in favor of Chavez
and opponents, who have made several demonstrations to endorse their
positions and who announced new mobilizations with views to a
referendum to be made on December.

That popular consultation will have to approve or to reject the
proposal of modifying almost 70 articles.

To prevent the predicted triumph of the project, some opposition
sectors are promoting abstention and others announced that they will go
out streets to prevent the approval.

On the matter, Interior and Justice Minister Pedro Carreno assured that
security organs will guarantee normality and he considered voting as
the only one form in democracy to decide for a yes or not.

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PL-42