Venezuelan Indigenous
Want Constitutional
Reform Reinitiated
Members of the National
Indigenous Movement of
Venezuela (MNIV) took
part in a strategy
meeting on Friday to
re-launch President Hugo
Chavez' proposal of
constitutional reform.
MNIV coordinator Facundo
Guanipa said the
meeting, attended by
delegates from the
states of Anzoategui,
Monagas, Sucre and
Trujillo, considered
collecting signatures to
present the project
again.
Guanipas explained that
the meeting was also a
bright opportunity to
assess the causes of the
defeat of YES in the
December 2 referendum
and agree on steps to
convince people of the
benefits of the
initiative.
He noted that according
to referendum data, over
98 percent of the
indigenous population
voted to modify the
Constitution; therefore,
they will mobilize to
re-launch the proposal,
as established under the
Constitution.
Under the Venezuelan
Constitution, the
president can convene a
referendum to introduce
changes to the law, but
if the people present a
demand signed by 15
percent of voters and
the approval of the
National Assembly, they
also can convene a
referendum. |
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