Venezuela's government rejects early end to Chavez tenure
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Roy Chaderton affirmed Thursday that the government rejects any initiative for an early end to the administration of President Hugo Chavez and early elections.
"The government will not gather signatures, nor will it participate in formulas to reduce its duties, for that is up to the opposition," the diplomat told the local radio.
Chaderton is one of the representatives of the government in dialogues with the opposition, promoted by the Organization of American States (OAS) to solve the political crisis in Venezuela.
The senior official added "there are no moves for early elections, nor for a change of government, not even within the constitutional framework."
"The fact we respect that within the Constitution there are considerations for the anticipation of elections to comply with the goal of a particular sector of the population, does not mean the government has to back such an initiative," he said.
The opposition, headed by businessmen and trade union workers, concentrated in the so-called Democratic Coordination (CD), Thursday called for a constitutional amendment in order to oust Chavez.