IANS Sunday 16th August, 2009
Sao Paulo/Many democratically elected Latin American presidents are
reluctant to relinquish office as their terms draw to a close. In an
effort to remain president 'forever', they have resorted to changing
constitutions and forcing referendums to extend their time in office.
The reasons cited are usually nobel. The Bolivarian Revolution of
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is one he envisions as a long-term
project - it's about 21st century socialism, with the lofty aims of
ensuring economic independence, the equal distribution of revenue and an
end to corruption.
Chavez insists, of course, that this cannot be achieved overnight. It
could take a few years, even decades, and therefore many terms as
president. To this end, Chavez had the Venezuelan constitution changed
in a referendum in February to pave the way for a president's unlimited
re-election.
Other leaders across Latin America - both left and right of the
ideological spectrum - have also been unable to resist the temptation of
tampering with the prevailing rules on re-election.
Honduran Manuel Zelaya, a conservative liberal who is not very popular
among his own people, is the latest example of a leader striving to
extend presidential term limits. Despite a lot of opposition, Zelaya
sought a referendum to change the constitution and include the option of
re-election. He was ousted in a bloodless coup June 28.
The same strategy has been used with some success in Bolivia and
Ecuador, apart from in Venezuela. In fact, Venezuelans had in 2007
rejected the unlimited re-election of their president, but Chavez
finally managed to get the proposal through.
As his motto puts it, simply: 'Chavez is not leaving, Chavez stays.'
Chavez's current mandate ends in 2013. But he has said that the third
phase of his Bolivarian Revolution is set to last until 2019.
Fidel Castro, who led Cuba for almost half a century until he stepped
down for health reasons in 2008, is Chavez's model and political mentor.
The communist island has a self-styled political system that is not
considered to be democratic by generally accepted international standards.
In Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega is also trying to prolong his time
in office. While recently celebrating the 30th anniversary of the
Sandinista Revolution, he let the cat out of the bag. Since he cannot
win over Congress, Ortega has found an alternate, but familiar, path: A
referendum, a new constitution and no term limits.
In case he cannot manage this in time, Ortega will seek a mandate as
prime minister - a position that does not currently exist in Nicaragua -
so he can stand for another presidential stint in subsequent elections.
As for conservative Colombian President Alvaro Uribe - a year before the
end of his second mandate, he has proposed a bill to Congress that could
well have been drafted in Caracas. It's a referendum to change the
constitution to allow Uribe a third consecutive term.
Uribe has done this before, as the Colombian constitution did not allow
consecutive presidential terms when he took office in 2002.
The seat-clingers of Latin America resent Brazilian President Luiz
Inacio Lula da Silva, who has vowed to respect his country's rules,
which ban more than two terms in office.
'I am not seeking a third mandate,' Lula has stressed repeatedly. 'I am
and have always been against it. I think that the transfer of power is
essential for democracy.'
Latin American leaders seek 'forever' presidencies (16 August 2009)
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