USA wants govt transition in Venezuela as per Constitution

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Press Trust of India

USA wants govt transition in Venezuela as per Constitution
3 January 2013
Press Trust of India

WASHINGTON, 3 JAN: The US has said that it favoured any change in Venezuela's leadership as per that country's Constitution if Hugo Chavez cannot carry out his duties as President.

“We want to see any transition take place in a manner that is consistent with the Venezuelan Constitution, that any election be fully transparent, democratic, free and fair,” state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said yesterday.

Her comments came just days after the Speaker of the Venezuelan National Assembly hinted the adjournment of Mr Chavez's inauguration date for his fourth term due to his illness.

Asked if Mr Chavez being out of the picture would make it easier to improve long-strained ties between Venezuela and the US, Ms Nuland said, “Obviously we will judge our ability to improve our relationship with Venezuela based on steps they are able to take.”

Read more: http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=437700&catid=37

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. The US would be better off worrying about the state of its own constitution.

[Justin_Beach]

2. Agree

As a Canadian (dual citizen) I don't want the US governments opinion on what we should do internally.

[Magoo48]

9. We have no time for our own business, because we're busy minding everyone else's.

[joshcryer]

4. Hey, at least the US is being anti-coup this time!

I mean, after all, not announcing new elections on Jan 10th if no swearing in is possible would be nothing else but an institutional coup.

[grahamhgreen]

3. Stay out of it. After the crap we've done...

A brief overview of CIA and US supported foreign interventions between 1953 and 1989.

Some of the CIA's activity in foreign countries is not described in this video. Other countries where the CIA conducted operations include:

The Americas:
Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Guyana, Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_activities_in_the_Americas

Africa:
Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, South Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Sudan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_activities_in_Africa

Asia and the Pacific:
China, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, The Philippines, Iran, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Australia and Burma
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_activities_in_Asia_and_the_Pacific

Russia and Europe:
Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary and Poland.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_activities_in_Russia_and_Europe

[newfie11]

6. +1

[jwirr]

14. Exactly. We are so over stretched already that we are hurting at home. Leave the rest of the world

alone.

[Tempest]

25. +2

[LarryNM]

5. "Transparent, democratic, free and fair" elections"?

What a joke! The U.S. has no ethical standing in such matters anywhere until real efforts are made Here First.

[dipsydoodle]

7. There's a lot to be said for keeping it out.

[JackRiddler]

8. US-G (not "US") should apologize & pay reparations for the 2002 coup.

USG should stop interfering in and harrassing Venezuela.

USG should stop speculating about Chavez death aftermath in transparent attempt to sow instability and hysteria.

[Justin_Beach]

11. Can't happen sadly

If the US-G ever started paying reparations, the line of claimants would never end ( Iraq, Afghanistan, Panama, Grenada, Pakistan, Yemen, ..... )

[msanthrope]

10. She's right--if Chavez cannot be sworn on the 10th, it's elections in February. The Constitution of

Venezuela must be followed. What is so controversial about that? That's precisely what Venezuelan political leaders want--at least the opposition does. It seems like Chavez's party wants to change the date of the inauguration, and thus, the date of the elections, which is not allowed in the constitution.

Opposition coalition leader Ramon Guillermo Aveledo said at a news conference that the information provided by government officials "continues to be insufficient."

SNIP--

"They should tell the truth," Aveledo said, noting that Maduro had pledged to provide full reports about Chavez's condition. He reiterated the opposition's call for the government to release a medical report and said all indications are that Chavez won't be able to be sworn in to begin a new term Jan. 10.

If Chavez can't take office on that date, Aveledo said the constitution is clear that the National Assembly president should then take over temporarily until a new election is held. He said what happens next in Venezuela should be guided by "the truth and the constitution."

If Chavez dies or is unable to continue in office, the Venezuelan Constitution says a new election should be held within 30 days.

http://news.yahoo.com/venezuela-opposition-chavez-secrecy-feeds-rumors-164419299.html

The US wants the constitution followed:

The United States adopted its position just days after the Speaker of the Venezuelan National Assembly, deputy Diosdado Cabello, a top member of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), hinted the adjournment of Chávez's inauguration date for his fourth term, which according to the Constitution is scheduled for January 10.

However, some lawyers and opponents argue that the swearing-in date cannot be deferred. The Constitution, they claim, provides that in the event that the president-elect cannot be sworn in, the Speaker of the National Assembly must take power and convene a presidential vote within 30 days.

Chávez has not been seen or listened to since on Dec. 11 when he underwent his fourth surgery for cancer in 18 months. Since then, Venezuelan authorities have reported a series of ups and downs in his recovery. On Sunday night, Executive Vice-President Nicolás Maduro announced that President Chávez was in a "delicate" state of health due to a respiratory infection.

Nuland said Washington also hoped that if a presidential election is held, the vote is "transparent, democratic, free and fair, including the atmosphere surrounding the election.''
http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/130102/us-expects-govt-transition-in-venezuela-pursuant-to-the-constitution

Here's the briefing, and the questions Toria Nuland was asked--

QUESTION: And I wonder if you feel that relationships with Venezuela might be slightly easier if Mr. Chavez, for whatever reason, were no longer in the picture.

MS. NULAND: We talked about this a little bit before Christmas. I think the question becomes if there is a circumstance where he is no longer able to exercise his duties, we want to see any transition take place in a manner that is consistent with Venezuela’s constitution; that any election be fully transparent, democratic, free, and fair, including the environment for such an election; and obviously, we will judge our ability to improve our relationship with Venezuela based on the steps that they are able to take.

QUESTION: How would you characterize your relationship with Venezuela at the moment?

MS. NULAND: I don’t want to put an adjective on it, Jo. I think you know that we have been trying for some time to improve things, but that has proven difficult. So – please.
http://www.enewspf.com/latest-news/latest-national/39400-state-department-briefing-by-victoria-nuland-january-3-2013.html

[Bacchus4.0]

15. yep, a pretty innocuous comment

what is the alternative? the US stating they should have an undemocratic, coerced, unfair election.

[msanthrope]

16. When relations with Venezuela normalize after Chavez's death, some people are

going to take it very hard.

Maduro is already talking to the State Department.

[Bacchus4.0]

23. yep, they will have to find another anti-US leader to fall in love with n/t

s

[msanthrope]

26. There's always Castro....nt

[JackRiddler]

18. What is Venezuela's position on US government violations...

of the US constitution, such as the Fourth and Fifth amendments with protections against unreasonable search and with due process protections for persons accused of crime?

Democratic VZ has as much right to intervene in US matters as vice-versa, I'm sure you will agree. And unlike Ms. Nuland's speculation about what will happen if Chavez cannot serve, it's already an established fact that the USG has massively violated its own constitution.

[msanthrope]

21. Well, we can always ask Chavez. Let us know. nt

[grahamhgreen]

28. If Bush committed war crimes, and stole the election in 2000, then we need to deal with that, first.

Instead of what - interpreting the Venezuelan constitution????

[Enrique]

12. the sanctity of Venezuela's constitutional processes

always a high priority for USA, and neocons like Victoria Nuland especially.

[Arctic Dave]

13. He can just video conference it like our repug Mayor did.

He didn't want to mess up his vacation in Hawaii and decided to, literally, phone in his swearing in.

[hack89]

17. I doubt Chavez is physically capable of even that. nt

[JackRiddler]

19. You think or you hope?

Because there's no way one can know, true?

[hack89]

22. I think.

I watched my dad die slowly from cancer - it is not a death I would wish on anyone. But I understand how quickly it progresses when the end comes.

If Chavez could talk to his people one more time then I have no doubt he would - I don't question his love for his country or its people. He understands the demands of a head of state and how important it is to maintain a public presence - imagine the uproar and uncertainty if a US president was not to be seen or heard from in three weeks. The fact that Chavez cannot even do a photo op or a radio broadcast tells me he is deathly ill.

[msanthrope]

27. I think he's dead, and I think Maduro is trying to shore up support before he

announces it.

[JackRiddler]

29. I think your commitment is clear.

[Comrade Grumpy]

30. Ah, the ghouls have come out to play again.

[Bacchus4.0]

24. sure, I am sure Venezuelans would love to see the video of Chavez at his swearing in

I am looking forward to seeing that video too.

[roody]

20. Poor Victoria N must be morally

bankrupt.