• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Pro-Chavez Demonstrators Rally in Venezuela

By VOA News
30 November 2007

Tens of thousands of Venezuelans have filled the streets of Caracas for a rally in support of sweeping constitutional reforms that would greatly expand President Hugo Chavez's power.

President Chavez is expected to address Friday's rally, which comes two days ahead of a referendum on the 69 proposed changes. The rally is taking place one day after thousands of people opposed to the reforms marched in the same area.

Opinion polls suggest voters on Sunday will reject the reforms, which would eliminate term limits for Mr. Chavez and help him establish a socialist state. Additionally, the revisions would give authorities sweeping powers in the event of a declaration of a national emergency.

The proposals would authorize detention without specific charges and allow the government to control the news media. The emergency powers also would strip the central bank of its autonomy and allow the state to expropriate private property.

Opposition parties, human rights groups and Roman Catholic Church leaders in Venezuela oppose the changes, because of what they say is an unprecedented concentration of power in the president's hands. President Chavez argues that revising the constitution is necessary to strengthen the people's voice in government.

On Friday, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said he hopes the results reflect the will of the Venezuelan people.

Meanwhile, Cuban President Fidel Castro has written an editorial for Cuba's state-run Granma newspaper in which he accuses the United States of encouraging internal conflict in Venezuela. Mr. Castro also said that when he met with Mr. Chavez recently, he, Mr. Castro, warned him about the risk of assassination he was exposing himself to by traveling in open-top vehicles.

Mr. Chavez has previously accused the United States of, among other things, fomenting a recall campaign against him a few years ago and of backing a military uprising that briefly ousted him in 2002.

Washington has denied both assertions.