CARACAS (Reuters) – Denying he was a dictator, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered yesterday to give up much-criticized decree powers a year ahead of schedule if post-flood emergency measures were implemented quickly.
Addressing parliament, the socialist leader complained he was being “demonised” around the world and was prepared to give up on May 1 the powers he had been granted until mid-2012, months before the presidential election in December 2012 when Chavez plans to run again.
Critics at home and abroad have said Chavez’s assumption of decree rule showed he was an autocrat determined to impose Cuban-style communism in the South American OPEC member.
“There is a campaign to make me out to be a devil. … How on earth can they say the Enabling Law means we are in a dictatorship?” he said of the bill granting him decree powers.
“I am capable of asking this National Assembly to overturn the Enabling Law. … So if anyone feels restricted (by the law), then I’ll send it back, I have no problem.”
Chavez pledged to work harder and faster to push through decrees by May he says are needed for reconstruction and relief after floods left nearly 140,000 homeless.
“In four to five months we may be able to carry out all the laws to manage the emergency,” he said. Chavez has led Venezuela on an increasingly radical path since 1999 and requested decree powers from the outgoing parliament at the end of last year.
Critics said his real intention was to undermine the incoming National Assembly, which has a greater number of opposition lawmakers who had been relishing the chance to try to block Chavez’s agenda.
During a speech that was into its sixth hour by early evening, the famously garrulous president welcomed the presence of opposition parties that had returned to parliament for the first time since a 2005 boycott of a legislative election.
“I am very happy to greet the opposition lawmakers. Really, no irony intended,” said Chavez, who frequently slams his foes as “ultra-right,” “bourgeoisie” and “little Yankees.” He chatted and shook hands with them before he spoke.
The Venezuelan leader also sent a message of friendship to US President Barack Obama, recounting to parliament his recent handshake and chat with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a meeting in Brazil.
