NYT: Repairing a Recall in Venezuela

Repairing a Recall in Venezuela

Published: March 9, 2004

After years of political unrest, including an abortive coup in 2002, last year Venezuelans agreed to resolve their differences through peaceful electoral means. As they struggle over whether there is to be a recall vote, President Hugo Chávez and the opposition parties need to abide by their commitment to democracy.

Venezuela's Constitution provides for a presidential recall election if it is demanded by 20 percent of the electorate, some 2.4 million voters. Late last year, Chávez opponents submitted petitions with 3.4 million signatures. Last week, Venezuela's electoral council ruled that only 1.8 million of those were fully valid, but noted that problems with the others could be addressed in an appeals process.

Leaders of the petition drive and international observers were dismayed at the large number of disqualifications. Opponents of President Chávez are now trying to decide whether to reject the commission as hopelessly biased, or to negotiate the rules that will govern the appeals process for disqualified petitioners. Negotiations are by far the more promising route.

Hugo Chávez, the populist former army colonel who led a failed coup attempt in 1992, has been a polarizing figure since Venezuela's voters swept him into office five years ago. Large numbers of the poor see him as the first modern president who has really tried to improve their lives. But he is seen as a dictator in the making by plenty of others, including the traditional political parties, the business elites, labor unions and many in the news media.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/09/opinion/09TUE2.html

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