Chavez swearing-in can be delayed - Venezuelan VP

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - President Hugo Chavez's formal swearing-in for a new six-year term scheduled for January 10 can be postponed if he is unable to attend due to his battle to recover from cancer surgery, Venezuela's vice president said on Friday.

Nicolas Maduro's comments were the clearest indication yet that the Venezuelan government is preparing to delay the swearing-in while avoiding naming a replacement for Chavez or calling a new election in the South American OPEC nation.

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The political opposition argues that Chavez's presence on January 10 in Cuba - where there are rumours he may be dying - is tantamount to the president's stepping down.

But Maduro, waving a copy of the constitution during an interview with state TV, said there was no problem if Chavez was sworn in at a later date by the nation's top court.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/01/05/uk-venezuela-chavez-idUKBRE90401T20130105

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Venezuela VP: Chavez can delay oath and stay in power http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20918783

[joshcryer]

1. Interesting. Maduro influenced by Cabello on this one.

His original position was that Chavez could be sworn in by the Supreme Court: http://en.tengrinews.kz/politics_sub/Chavez-could-be-sworn-in-by-Supreme-Court-Maduro--15507/

"If his permission needs to be extended beyond January 10, the constitution would go into action and he would have to take the oath before the Supreme Court," Maduro said on state television after a Christmas Eve mass in Caracas to pray for Chavez's speedy recovery.

Now it seems he's agreeing with Cabello's analysis: http://news.yahoo.com/no-vote-venezuela-chavez-sworn-official-214216166.html

[Igel]

7. Not much of an analysis.

It boils down to this one statement and a claim.

"That's not going to happen because our president is named Hugo Chavez, he was reelected and is in the hearts of all Venezuelans."

And the claim that if the newly elected president can't be sworn in on 1/10 by the National Assembly then he can be sworn in whenever by the Supreme Court. The text actually seems pretty clear. Nothing indicating that the date is flexible. Location and swearing-in agent is.

So if Chavez waits to be sworn in on 1/12, is there no president on 1/10 at 11:30 PM or 1/11 at 11:00 am?

[joshcryer]

9. Yeah, Maduro's position was "if no Jan. 10 possible, use Supreme Court in embassay."

Now he's agreeing that it doesn't even matter anymore. Probably because the Supreme Court can't swear in a guy on life support.

When Lugo was ousted there was a lot of analysis here of Paraguay's constitution. With lots of people calling it a coup.

Here I expect it to be ignored. Though in this case the text is clear and there's no flexibility for the date. The date is literally enshrined in the constitution.

[JackRiddler]

12. Lugo, the elected president of Paraguay, was ousted.

See the difference? Undoubtedly not.

[joshcryer]

13. Constitutionally.

See the similarity? Undoubtedly not.

[sabbat hunter]

2. Sounds like to me

that they are trying to subvert the constitution.

[Igel]

8. Nope.

They have a goal. The details of how to get it don't matter.

The National Assembly might declare him absent from his post if he dies in Cuba, because having the leader give speeches as he buries his country's hero might be difficult in that case. But you never know. Does it say he has to actually respond to the oath?

[dotymed]

3. I bet we had similar political fights

during the tenure of FDR. His health was bad but he did more positive things for America (and the world) than any other U.S. President. Chavez has been re-elected with another majority vote and Venezuela's elections are the most closely monitored in the world. I hope that he fully recovers, is sworn in and continues his socialist agenda.
Of course, the elites will keep fighting to depose him. Especially the American based elites (govt.).
Did you watch Thom Hartman's proposal for a 100% tax on income over one billion $ annually? It sounds like a good start.

[I love weed]

4. That's a delusional post, dotymed.

No offense, but Chavez isn't coming back. His time on earth is up.

[MyNameGoesHere]

5. God is that you? eom

[Igel]

6. Probably.

But I suspect FDR actually followed the law. Esp. laws that he was ultimately responsible for.

I suspect a lot of his supporters, believing that winning the elections means that they get to make up the rules as they go along, lamented this.

Otherwise it's like being an umpire and saying, "Yeah, he was tagged 10 feet from home, but the team really needed the run so we'll just let him slde. Get it, 'slide'?"

The rules matter for some people. Not so much for others. That whole business about the rule of man being so much better than that nasty ol' rule of law.

[joshcryer]

10. It sucks because it explicitly goes against his wishes.

Before the surgery, which he was no doubt informed was going to be very difficult, he said Maduro should be party leader, and run for PSUV, and that they should have elections. No ifs, ands, or buts. He said it clearly.

[quadrature]

11. weekend at Hugo's

we don't even know if HC is alive