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Hugo concedes defeat
 Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's bid to become president for life failed after he conceded defeat in Sunday's referendum on whether he should be allowed to run indefinitely for reelection in the oil-rich country. The nation's electoral panel announced that about 51 percent voted against constitutional changes to strengthen presidential powers to promote his campaign to build a socialist economy while about 49 percent voted for them. Voter turnout was about 56 percent. Chavez, 53, conceded defeat at a news conference. If Chavez had won the vote on the controversial changes, it would have opened the way for him to realize his hope of staying in power through 2050. As a result of the referendum, Chavez cannot run for a third term under the current Constitution and his term as president will end in 2013. Posted by: anonymous5089 2007-12-03 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=211112 |