Venezuela's legislature to grant Chavez rule by decree |
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Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:56
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CARACAS (AFX) - Venezuela's legislature voted unanimously to grant President Hugo Chavez the power to rule by decree for 18 months, in the initial vote on a bill today.The bill authorizes Chavez to 'rule by decree ... with the force of law,' legislative president Cilia Flores said after the unanimous show of hands in favor.Chavez, in power since 1999, began serving a new, six-year term a week ago, with his party in control of Venezuela's unicameral legislature.'We welcome the ... law, with the support of the National Assembly, which backs our leader,' the president of the legislature said.Opponents called the special law a 'totalitarian abuse' of power.Flores said 'there will always be opponents, especially when they know that these laws will deepen the are volution'' -- a term Chavez uses to describe his socialist movement.Chavez is expected to nationalize Venezuela's oil, telecommunications and electrical industries and install one-party power which could grant him indefinite re-elections to power.newsdesk@afxnews.comafp/cmrCOPYRIGHTCopyright AFX News Limited 2006. All rights reserved.The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited
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US express 'strong' concern over Chavez's nationalization plans 