[Marxism] Chavez sees referendum as victory for people, constitution

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Prensa Latina, Havana - June 4, 2004
 <http://www.plenglish.com/> http://www.plenglish.com


Referendum a Victory for the People and Constitution, Says Chavez

Caracas, June 4 (Prensa Latina) In a brief, improvised speech Thursday,
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez told the people that the day was not
a defeat, but a victory, and the beginning of the test of one of the
fundamental concepts of participatory democracy.

Reminding his listeners that the mechanism for a revocation
referendum was included by him in the Constituent Assembly to provide a
democratic alternative for those elected who later betray the people to
join with the elite, he said he had absolute respect for the National
Electoral College results and called on the opposition to show the same
respect.

Referring to the opposition, he congratulated those who have
abandoned attempts at coups, sabotage, conspiracy and paramilitarism,
which have cost so many Venezuelan lives, and said the majority want to
use a democratic path.

Chavez told the people they must now gird for battle, as they have in
seven previous elections, and to remember that George Bush (US
president) is behind all the machinations against the Bolivarian
Revolution, but we accept the challenge.

The president invited all of his supporters to join a march on Sunday
and then, immediately after the speech, went outside to mingle with the
thousands of placard-bearing and flag-waving followers jubilantly
awaiting him outside government headquarters.
/ccs/jrr/fgg


Copyright (c) 2004 Prensa Latina, SA. All rights reserved.



_______________________________________________
Marxism mailing list
Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism