After having had some time to think about the referendum, I agree with you bullfrog.

My thinking is that Chavez will now have the chance to get elected again, but to do so needs to scramble to keep the social spending up. If he lets the poor suffer too much he will lose his main constituency.

The whole reason that Hugo rushed the referendum is that he obviously understands that he is quickly running low on $$$. This can't hurt us and might help.

If he had lost this one, he would have no accountability since he couldn't run again.