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Panama's Doctor
Strike Deepens
Latin American Leaders
Hail Chavez's Acceptance
of Referendum Result
Ecuador Assembly Starts
Sessions
Bolivia to Try Mayors
for Treason
FARC, Not
Government, Should Be Pressed To Release
Hostages |
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Latin American Leaders
Hail Chavez's Acceptance
of Referendum Result
Latin American political
leaders on Monday
praised Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez
for his acceptance of
the result of a
referendum during which
most Venezuelans voted
against his
constitutional reforms.
Chavez put forward 69
constitutional reforms
to a Sunday referendum:
33proposed by himself
and 36 proposed by the
nation's legislature. On
the day, 51.05 percent
of Venezuelans voted
against the measures and
48.9 percent voted in
favor, with an
abstention rate of 45
percent.
Key reforms included
extending the
presidential term to
seven years from six,
allowing indefinite
reelection and removing
the Central Bank's
autonomy.
Peruvian President Alan
Garcia said, "President
Chavez has acted
democratically in
submitting his proposal
to the people and by
recognizing the victory
of those who opposed the
idea."
He said that Chavez's
attitude would not only
help Venezuela's people
but also Chavez himself,
"who has raised his
profile as a ruler that
listens to his people."
Mexican President Felipe
Calderon, praised Chavez
for his "great bravery,"
adding "congratulations
to the Venezuelan people
for taking part and
doing so with great
responsibility; and to
Hugo Chavez for
recognizing the result
whether or not it was
favorable to him."
Nicaraguan
Vice-President Jaime
Morales said Chavez had
come through the
referendum with his
credentials
strengthened. "We are
advancing in Latin
America when it comes to
recognizing the will of
our people," he said.
Brazilian President Luiz
Inacio Lula da Silva
stressed in a meeting
with members of his
cabinet on Monday that
Chavez recognized the
legitimacy of the result
of the referendum.
Lula said the movement
in favor of the refusal
of the reforms had been
growing stronger,
especially due to the
participation of
students.
"President Chavez
accepted the result in a
tranquil way. I think
that was good for
democracy," added
Foreign Minister Celso
Amorim on Monday.
Amorim described Chavez
as "elegant and calm" in
accepting his defeat,
saying the process had
been good for democracy.
He also praised
Venezuela for the
peaceful process of the
referendum.
Cuban Foreign Minister
Felipe Perez Roque
hailed what he called
Chavez's "ethical
attitude" in accepting
defeat and said it had
given the lie to
campaigns alleging that
Chavez does not respect
democracy.
Willy Meyers, a deputy
to the European
parliament who had been
in Venezuela during the
campaign as an observer,
told media that "this
was a lesson given by
the electoral authority
in giving results
clearly and
transparently."
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