(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Tomorrow’s constitutional referendum in Venezuela could provide a new victory for Hugo Chávez, according to a poll by Consultores 30.11. 56 per cent of respondents would endorse the reforms promoted by the president, while 40 per cent would reject them.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Tomorrow’s constitutional referendum in Venezuela could provide a new victory for Hugo Chávez, according to a poll by Consultores 30.11. 56 per cent of respondents would endorse the reforms promoted by the president, while 40 per cent would reject them.
The voting intention surveys conducted before this nationwide referendum in the South American country have been particularly volatile. Earlier this week, a study by Datanálisis published in El Universal suggested a defeat for the "Yes" side.
Chávez—a left-leaning leader—has been in office since February 1999. In July 2000, he was elected to a six-year term with 59.5 per cent of all cast ballots. In August 2004, Chávez won a referendum on his tenure with 59 per cent of the vote. The special election was called after opposition organizations in Venezuela gathered 2.5 million signatures to force a recall ballot. In December 2006, Chávez earned a new six-year term with 62.89 per cent of the vote.
In June, Chávez revealed during a televised interview his proposal to reform the country’s constitution for the second time since he took office. The new draft calls for 69 amendments to the Constitution, including the introduction of a clause that would allow the unlimited re-election of the head of state, and a measure to put the central bank in the president’s hands. The president also mentioned he is considering the introduction of a presidential-parliamentary system in Venezuela.
The National Assembly—where pro-Chávez lawmakers control more than two-thirds of the seats—has already approved the president’s proposed draft. A nationwide referendum will take place on Dec. 2.
On Nov. 6, as he launched a campaign in favour of the new Constitution, Chávez called the upcoming referendum "the most important battle" of the "Bolivarian revolution" so far.
On Nov. 29, Comando Nacional de la Resistencia, a major opposition group that had urged Venezuelans to abstain from voting, released a statement calling for citizens to back the "No" side instead, saying, "We invite voters to go to the polls with their eyes wide open. The victory of the ‘No’ to the reform proposal is our main goal. We must back it.’’
Polling Data
How would you vote on the constitutional referendum?
(Likely Voters)
|
Yes |
56% |
|
No |
40% |
|
Undecided |
4% |
Source: Consultores 30.11
Methodology: Interviews with 1,600 Venezuelan adults, conducted from Nov. 21 to Nov. 27, 2007. Margin of error is 2.16 per cent.
