(11/04/09) -

Ch¡vez Should Leave in 2012, Say Venezuelans

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Most people in Venezuela think Hugo Chávez should only stay in office until the end of his current term, according to a poll by Hinterlaces. 61 per cent of respondents want Chávez to step down in 2012, whereas 34 per cent would allow him to stay as president until 2021.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Most people in Venezuela think Hugo Chávez should only stay in office until the end of his current term, according to a poll by Hinterlaces. 61 per cent of respondents want Chávez to step down in 2012, whereas 34 per cent would allow him to stay as president until 2021.

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.

Energy-rich Venezuela is currently facing repeated blackouts and water shortages. On Oct. 27, the president renewed calls for people to ration their energy use, adding that wasting electricity is "a crime." Days before, Chávez had warned that if shopping malls waste power, "They’re going to have to buy their generator, and if not I’ll cut off their power."

Polling Data

Which of these options would you prefer?

Source: Hinterlaces
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,483 Venezuelan adults, conducted from Sept. 25 to Oct. 4, 2008. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.