Chavez's Foes Stopped In Venezuela

Venezuela's electoral council agreed on Thursday to hold a nonbinding referendum on whether President Hugo Chavez should resign, but the Supreme Court later ruled against the panel's decision.

The National Electoral Council called the Feb. 2 referendum in a 3-1 vote with one member abstaining, citing a new law allowing approval by a simple majority.

But in its ruling late Thursday, the court said the panel was still bound by an old electoral law requiring approval by four of the five council members.

"The referendum still hasn't been called," said electoral council member Romulo Lares, the abstaining member. "That decision is null according to the Supreme Court's ruling."

There was no immediate comment by the opposition or word over what their next move or if they would pursue another vote with the electoral panel.

Chavez's allies challenged the referendum as soon as it was announced, saying the electoral council had overstepped the law.

Speaking in the southwestern state of Apure late Thursday, Chavez reiterated his view that under the constitution, the earliest a referendum can be held is August — halfway through his six-year term.

"I'm not afraid of the referendum," he said. "If they want a referendum, I'll wait for them in August of 2003."

More than 200 Chavez supporters protested outside the electoral council Thursday afternoon, beating drums and decrying its decision as biased.

"We love our president!" said Antonio Jose Rodriguez, an unemployed 39-year-old. "There is a war between the rich and poor."

Elsewhere in downtown Caracas, police linked arms to separate a shouting throng of anti-government protesters from a smaller group of Chavez's backers.

"We want the referendum because we want a country of democracy," said Zoraida Sanchez, a nurse holding aloft a Venezuelan flag. "It's the only way to get rid of this dictator!"

Opposition leaders, meanwhile, pledged to stick with plans for a general strike on Monday.

"The strike must go ahead to force the government to come up with agreements at the negotiating table," said Alfredo Ramos, a leader of the anti-Chavez Confederation of Venezuelan Workers.

The Organization of American States has mediated talks between the government and opposition amid sometimes violent clashes.

Nineteen people were killed during an opposition march in April that precipitated a two-day coup.

Chavez's opponents bristle at his leftist policies and accuse him of drifting toward dictatorship during his nearly four years in power. His supporters say he is the only leader who has taken real steps to help the poor in Venezuela, the world's fifth largest oil exporter and a major supplier to the United States.

But widespread poverty remains, and recent polls suggest the populist leader's approval rating has dipped to about 30 percent.

On Nov. 4, thousands of government opponents delivered a petition with 2 million signatures demanding the referendum, which would ask whether Chavez should voluntarily resign. Electoral officials said they had verified about 1.2 million signatures — the threshold needed to schedule the vote.

The lone dissenter on the council, Romulo Rangel, said a more thorough check of the signatures was needed.

Several legislators of Chavez's Fifth Republic Movement party strode into the electoral council meeting later Thursday, carrying a written challenge and saying they plan to appeal to the Supreme Court.

"They're making decisions in violation of the constitution," said Dario Vivas, one of eight legislators who signed the document. They said the council had used "signatures whose authenticity still haven't been verified."

National Assembly President Willian Lara also accused one of the three council members who backed the measure of improper involvement with the opposition.

While the dispute continued, protesters from opposing camps faced off across police lines. Chavez's opponents blew whistles and held signs saying: "Venezuela has no president."

Chavez supporter Laura Perdomo shook a finger in the air and declared: "No one will get rid of the president because he has a majority! He's with the poor."

By Ian James
By Ian James