Venezuela Names Feb. 2 Chavez
Holiday
Caracas (Reuters) - Venezuela's
government, known for spur-of-the-moment decisions, on Sunday
created a new national holiday on Feb 2 to commemorate populist
President Hugo Chavez's taking power.
The Sunday afternoon announcement came less than 24 hours before the
holiday was to begin.
The popular anti-U.S. leader, who on Monday celebrates 10 years of
his self-styled socialist revolution, has changed the country's
flag, coat of arms, and moved the time zone by half an hour.
Vice President Ramon Carrizalez said on Sunday the day would
declared "a day of festivity, because the people have things to
celebrate and many things to defend."
Chavez on Monday was to host friendly leaders including Bolivia's
Evo Morales and Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega to mark his taking power
in 1999, two weeks before a vote to determine if he should be
allowed to stay another decade.
The vote would amend the constitution, which he helped rewrite, to
remove a provision limiting presidents to two successive terms.
The loquacious leader is famous for showing up hours late to
scheduled events, talking for up to eight hours in a single sitting
and making major policy announcements in off-the-cuff commentary. |
|
|
|
|
|
