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Caribbean-Latin America
Chvez supporters, opponents both claim early victory
2007-12-03
Heavily edited to just the new news, which may be out of date by the time you read this. Caveat lector.
CARACAS -- President Hugo Chávez's backers and foes claimed victory in a crucial vote Sunday on constitutional reforms that would push forward his vision of ''21st Century Socialism'' and fortify his role as Latin America's most powerful leftist leader in the post-Castro era. ''The result of the referendum is hard-fought,'' said Vice President Jorge Rodríguez. ``We will respect the result, whatever it is.''
For a few seconds, no doubt, until Hugo has a hissy fit and orders up some more 'si' votes.
Although no official results had been announced as of early Sunday night, supporters of the president took to the streets in joyful ''victory'' caravans while some opponents claimed a win and others said privately that they had lost the hotly contested national plebiscite on amending 69 articles of Venezuela's Constitution.

The National Electoral Council was not expected to release its first results until about 11 p.m. Venezuela is one hour ahead of Miami.

After the polls closed, it appeared that perhaps only half of the registered voters turned out for the referendum. Many Chávez opponents had called on voters to stay home to avoid legitimizing a result that they believed was preordained. The low turnout left opposition leaders shaking their heads. ''It's inexplicable,'' said Carlos Guillermo Arocha, a leader of the Primero Justicia political party, adding that he expected Chávez to further radicalize his leftist-populist policies if he indeed won the election.
Dumb, dumb, dumb. A boycott simply allows Chavez to cheat less to win. Election boycotts are idiotic.
One possible solace for Chávez opponents was that he notched his smallest victory margin since he first won the presidency in 1998. Since then, he has won three presidential elections, a 1999 national referendum to rewrite the Constitution and a 2004 recall attempt, never with less than 56 percent.

The government reported arresting 45 people on election-related charges, but, despite a smattering of complaints by the opposition, the election appeared to have been conducted without major controversy.
Posted by:Steve White

#1  Chavez's vote defeated! BBC
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has narrowly lost a referendum on controversial constitutional changes.

Voters rejected the sweeping reforms by a margin of 51% to 49%, the chief of the National Electoral Council said.

Mr Chavez described the defeat as a "photo finish", and urged followers not to turn it into a point of conflict.

Correspondents say the opposition could barely hide their delight and that the victory will put the brakes on Mr Chavez's "Socialist revolution".
Posted by: 3dc   2007-12-03 00:44  

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