Venezuelan bishops declare constitutional reform as “morally unacceptable”

The Venezuelan bishops have declared “morally unacceptable” a constitutional reform proposed by Chávez and the National Assembly.  Venezuelans will vote through a referendum this upcoming Sunday, December 2nd on whether they approve or disapprove the new additional or ammended articles to the 1999 constitution that was proposed by Chávez himself.

Here is a detailed article-by-article summary of the reform, but it is not the actual text.  Keep in mind that the new 33 articles will have to be voted in two blocks: meaning that the voter approves or disapproves 15 or so articles at a time instead of voting on each article.  Consequently, these really have to be read more than twice and with a magnifying glass, because they are mixing articles that seem “OK” with others that are not.

Some of the highlights:

Section II. Politico-Territorial Division of the Country: President may declare special military and development zones, citizens have a new “right to the city.”

Section III. Citizen Rights and Duties: Voting age lowered to 16 years, gender parity in candidacies, creation of councils of popular power, social security fund for self-employed, reduction of workweek to 36 hours, recognition of Venezuelans of African descent, free university education, introduction of communal and social property.

Section IV. Functions of the State: Creation of popular power based in direct democracy, recognition of missions for alleviating urgent needs, foreign policy to pursue a pluri-polar world, devolution of central, state, and municipal functions to the popular power, guaranteed revenues for the popular power.

Section V. Organization of the State: President may name secondary vice-presidents as needed, presidential term extended and limit on reelection removed, may re-organize internal politico-territorial boundaries, and promotes all military officers.

Section VI. Socio-Economic System: Weakening of the role of private enterprise in the economic system, possible better treatment of national businesses over foreign ones, no privatization any part of the national oil industry, taxation of idle agricultural land, removal of central bank autonomy.

Section VII. National Security: Armed forces to be anti-imperialist, reserves to become a militia.

Section VIII. Constitutional changes: Signature requirements increased for citizen-initiated referenda to modify the constitution.

Section III. Citizen Rights and Duties: Non-discrimination based on sexual orientation and health, increase in signature requirements for citizen-initiated referenda, primary home protected from expropriation.

Section IV. Functions of the State: State and local comptrollers appointed by national Comptroller General, political divisions determined on a national instead level.

Section V. State organization: Councils of popular power participate in the nomination of members of the judiciary, citizen, and electoral powers, procedures for removing members of these branches specified more explicitly.

Section VIII. Constitutional exceptions: Right to information no longer guaranteed during state of emergency, emergencies to last as long as the conditions that caused it.