Protests have made this group Chavez's nightmare.


CARACAS, Venezuela, Nov. 9 — Finding Yon Goicoechea, a leader of the nascent student movement protesting the expanding power of President Hugo Chávez, is not easy. He changes cellphones every few days. After receiving dozens of death threats, he moves among the apartments of friends here each day in search of a safe place to sleep.

Supporters and opponents of President Hugo Chávez clashing Wednesday in Caracas, Venezuela, during a march against a scheduled referendum on changes to the country’s Constitution.

In an interview this week in a back room at one such residence, a villa in a leafy district in this city, Mr. Goicoechea described the movement that has supplanted traditional political parties in recent weeks as the most cohesive and respected challenger to Mr. Chávez’s government.


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From what I've read of the protests, the middle class isn't too happy with Chávez either. Maybe these protests will bear fruit if enough people get involved.

The poor are happy and there are a lot more of them than the middle class, if push comes to shove, Chavez has his army.

We will see if he truly supports a true democracy.


President Hugo Chavez is trailing ahead of a key vote on constitutional reforms, according to a new poll Saturday that shows opponents of the changes ahead by a strong margin.

The survey was conducted by Caracas polling firm Datanalisis, whose polls ahead of past votes have consistently matched Chavez's electoral victories. It found about 49% of likely voters oppose Chavez's reforms, well ahead of 39% who favor the changes.

"Chavez has never gone into an election without being an overwhelming majority from the beginning," Datanalisis pollster Luis Vicente Leon told The Associated Press. "This is the first time it's reversed."


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"This is the first time it's reversed."

Good. I hope it dampens his efforts for a power grab and reforms.

His proposal give give the president an indefinate term, but would it be a big deal if the president was pro-American? Probably not. Remember if the proposal passes, no matter who is pres will have an indefinate term.

Hugo losing his support for the term extension.


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has lost his lead eight days before a referendum on ending his term limit, an independent pollster said on Saturday, in a swing in voter sentiment against the Cuba ally.

Forty-nine percent of likely voters oppose Chavez's proposed raft of constitutional changes to expand his powers, compared with 39 percent in favor, a survey by respected pollster Datanalisis showed.


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Even if he was pro-U.S., it's still wrong to put yourself in power indefinately. IMO.

I agree totally, but Washington would have nothing to say it was an ally.

I hope relations get better after we get rid of the Shrub. Hopefully Bush and his policies is what keeps this conflict ongoing.

It probably will because the only way itr could possibly get worse is if Rudy is elected.

Now we shall see how he reacts to a loss.


President Hugo Chavez suffered a stunning defeat Monday in a referendum that would have let him run for re-election indefinitely and impose a socialist system in this major U.S. oil provider.

Voters rejected the sweeping measures Sunday by a vote of 51 percent to 49 percent, said Tibisay Lucena, chief of the National Electoral Council. She said that with 88 percent of the votes counted, the trend was irreversible.

Opposition supporters shouted with joy as Lucena announced the results on national television early Monday, their first victory against Chavez after nine years of electoral defeats.


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