Caracas: President Hugo Chavez has suggested that ruling party lawmakers could amend Venezuela`s Constitution to institutionalise dozens of his government`s banner social programs.
Chavez said yesterday his allies in the National Assembly could consider amending the Constitution to prevent opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles from dismantling the social programs, called "missions”, if he wins an October 07 Presidential Election.
Capriles denies that he would put an end to the social programs, which are popular among Venezuela`s poor majority. Pro-Capriles lawmakers have even presented a bill, called "Missions For Everybody”, as a means of dispelling the idea that Capriles opposes the "missions”.
But Chavez and his allies have convinced some government supporters that Capriles would dismantle the programs if he`s victorious in October.
"They propose the law: We propose a constitutional amendment or a reform," Chavez said, speaking to National Assembly president Diosdado Cabello and other members of Venezuela`s ruling party by telephone during a news conference. "That`s how one responds politically to demagoguery, to trickery."
PTI
