Chavez backers threaten boycott

www.newsok.com 2003-01-14 By Alexandra Olson Associated Press Writer

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Ruling party legislators said Monday they will urge citizens to boycott a February referendum on President Hugo Chavez's rule if the Supreme Court allows it to take place.

Venezuela's opposition is demanding that Chavez resign and call new elections if he loses the nonbinding referendum tentatively set for Feb. 2. They have buttressed their demands with a strike that entered its seventh week Monday and has dried up oil revenue.

Chavez refuses to step down, arguing that Venezuela's constitution only allows a binding referendum midway through a president's term -- August, in his case.

Members of his Fifth Republic Movement party, which has a slim majority in Congress, have challenged the constitutionality of the vote in the Supreme Court.

"If the referendum does take place, our position would be total abstention," Fifth Republic lawmaker Omar Mezza said. "Our complete abstention would take away its legitimacy."

Chavez's opponents cite articles in the constitution that let citizens petition for a referendum on "matters of national importance" at any time or to disown governments that threaten democracy.

The Supreme Court has not said when it will rule on the referendum.