Politics
During a meeting with the Simón Bolívar Campaign Team, President Hugo Chávez suggested that the right of free election may be extended with no restrictions to all elected incumbencies, including state governors, mayors and deputies in the proposed amendment to the Constitution.

"I would like the right to free nomination with no restrictions to be extended to state governors, mayors and national and local deputies for all of us to have the same right and the same dynamics. This will signal a breaking point with the old democracy. At bottom, we are proposing a break with a democratic, classic liberal, model," he said.

He noted that this will depend on the performance of each government, in addition to any decision to be made through the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). "This is the extension of the people's right to elect with no restrictions and nominate whoever they want."

The president remembered that on January 9-13 the second stage for collection of signatures will start in support of the amendment to the Constitution.

Alicia De La Rosa
EL UNIVERSAL

AND FROM THE OUTSIDERS :

Venezuela President Eyes Erasing Term Limits On Elected Posts

CARACAS -(Dow Jones)- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez proposed widening the scope Monday of a constitutional referendum on erasing term limits to include all elected offices instead of limiting the vote to the presidential post.

Chavez, who on previous occasions had defended confining the elimination of term limits to the presidency, announced Monday that the vote, which is to be held later this year, should include public offices like mayoralties and governorships.

"This is going to mark a breaking point with the old democracy," Chavez said in comments broadcast by state television.

Chavez has been pressing for a constitutional referendum to eliminate presidential term limits. The change would allow him to stay in office as long as he keeps winning elections.

He's set to leave office in 2013 unless the constitution is changed, something that voters rejected in a referendum in December 2007.

The country's electoral authority has yet to set a date for the vote while Chavez has insisted that he would like it to take place as early as February.

-By Darcy Crowe, Dow Jones Newswires;