Opposition hopes petition will signal the way forward

www.vheadline.com Posted: Monday, February 03, 2003 - 3:15:51 AM By: Robert Rudnicki

Millions of Venezuelans across the country took part in the opposition-organized petition on Sunday, during which they were asked to choose one out of ten possible solutions to the current political crisis, with a constitutional amendment cutting the term of President Hugo Chavez Frias to four from six years being the preferred option for Coordinadora Democratica leaders. 

3,650 booths were set up nationwide and opposition leaders hoped several million of Venezuela's 12 million registered voters would turn up and participate, as for an amendment to be considered they need to collect signatures from 15% of these voters, around 1.8 million. 

This solution was one of the two proposed by former US President Jimmy Carter, with the other being that the opposition waits for the August revocatory referendum that is permitted within the current Constitution. 

The result of Sunday's petition is unlikely to be known for several days, but early impressions appeared to please opposition leaders, who applauded the high turn out.