IHT/AP: Venezuelans cram streets to protest Chavez's referendum to establish socialism
More than 100,000 people flooded the streets of the capital Thursday to oppose a referendum that would eliminate term limits for President Hugo Chavez and help him establish a socialist state in Venezuela.
Blowing whistles, waving placards and shouting "Not like this!" the marchers carried Venezuelan flags and dressed in blue — the chosen color of the opposition — as they streamed along Bolivar Avenue.
No official crowd estimates were available, but opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez said about 160,000 protesters filled the avenue, and thousands more spilled over onto surrounding roads. The rally was among the largest by the opposition in recent years.
"This is a movement by those of us who oppose a change to this country's way of life, because what (the referendum) aims to do is impose totalitarianism," said former lawmaker Elias Matta. "There can't be a communist Venezuela, and that's why our society is reacting this way."
The rally marked the close of the opposition's campaign against the proposed constitutional changes, which will be submitted to a vote Sunday. Chavez plans to lead rallies in favor of the reforms Friday.
- HUGO'S COMRADES - HILLARY, OBAMA AND EDWARDS - WOULD DO THE SAME AS HUGO, GIVEN THE CHANCE.
- THOUGH SINCE HILLARY'S DEBACLE WITH SOCIALIZED HEALTHCARE THEY WOULD DO IT STEALTHILY AND INCREMENTALLY.
DON'T FALL FOR IT. IT'S ONLY A STYLE DIFFERENCE. THE SUBSTANCE IS THE SAME: SOCIALISM.
A fractured Bolivia heading at full speed to the cliffs
Opposition leaders in Bolivia have promised a fresh wave of protests and “civil disobedience” against a new draft constitution. Their call follows a strike on Wednesday that closed banks, schools and public transport in six of Bolivia's richest provinces.
Morales described the strike as a “rich people’s strike
The opposition argues that the proposed constitutional changes will give the government too much power. President Evo Morales says the reforms will finally give indigenous and poor Bolivians a say in running the country.
The strike was relatively peaceful and attracted the strongest support in the gas and farm rich province of Santa Cruz - an opposition stronghold. The local Santa Cruz leader, Branko Marinkovic, announced an indefinite hunger strike starting on Monday.
Marinkovic also urged the provinces to lobby international organizations against what he described as a "breakdown in democracy". However there was less support for the strike in the central city of Cochabamba and the Bolivian government described the protest as a failure.
In the capital La Paz Morales condemned the strikers during a massive rally. "The strike... is against this process of change, the new economic model, against the nationalization of natural resources".
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