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PrintNovember 2, 2007
Chavez Cracks down on Students
Jim Hoft has the gruesome pictures and video. What was apparently a peaceful demonstration by students protesting President Hugo Chavez's "constitutional reforms" was broken up by the National Guard as well as riot police in Caracas yesterday.
The students are protesting against some pretty radical changes:
The amendments would give the government control over the Central Bank, create new types of cooperative property, allow authorities to detain citizens without charge during a state of emergency and extend presidential terms from six to seven years while allowing Chavez to run again in 2012.That last change was proposed by Chavez because he says it is impossible to impose socialism on the country in the time legally granted him. In effect, Chavez is trying to make himself President for Life since he has proven in the past that he is not above committing gross electoral fraud in order to keep power.
Coupled with Chavez's aggressive anti-Americanism in the region, it appears that since the Venezuelan president will brook no opposition to his attempt to set up a dictatorship, we will have to deal with him for many years to come.
