Vice President chides opposition for rushing recall referendum as government walks the Constitution

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic NewsPosted: Wednesday, April 23, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Executive Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel confirms the Venezuelan government's commitment to the recall referendum as a "constitutional mandate," stipulated in the Bolivarian Constitution Art. 72, which Rangel says the government will abide by, once all  the requisites have been met meriting a call for a referendum and once the National Electoral College (CNE) has been appointed. 

Rangel accuses the opposition of attempting to rush the electoral process and insists that there can be no doubt about the government's will to abide by the Constitution. 

Comparing the government's approach to that of the opposition, Rangel says the opposition seems bent on instant gratification, whereas the government is taking a normal approach. "In times of negotiations,  pressure and compulsive summonsing must give way to democratic practice." 

Rangel reveals that in the early stages of negotiations, the government wanted to see the referendum extended to all elected officials but the opposition rejected the constitutional alternative and attempted to smuggle in a consultative referendum for December 2, 2002 as an ultimatum. "We are in step with the timetable stipulated in legal ordinances and the Constitution."