"Pro-government groups try to shut down--POLITICAL VIOLENCE / A special session to be held in a dangerous area of Caracas

President Chávez's foes made all they could to impede, at least for one hour, the approval of a reform to the Parliament's internal regulations

ELVIA GÓMEZ EL UNIVERSAL

"There will be no peace in the National Assembly as the ruling party MVR tries to use the Parliament as it wishes," said representative Enrique Márquez (opposition party LCR) still agitated after the clash in the Congress that cost him his glasses.

In fact, a minority group from the opposition seemed unwilling to give in to their efforts to avoid what they considered an abuse by pro-government parliamentarians. However, most of the opposition congressmen warned that the great news of the week -that pro-government factions lacked the necessary votes to impose their will, according to the opposition- was not evident because of the chaos at the National Assembly.

Congressman Julio Borges (opposition party Primero Justicia) said that Wednesday's incident was "a point of inflection" and that opposition groups were forced to react as they did. He warned the situation was the prelude of a government plan to shut down the Parliament.

Henry Ramos Allup (opposition party AD) rejected the call hastily made by the Parliament president, Captain Francisco Ameliach (R), to hold a session on Friday at El Calvario, an allegedly pro-Chavist area of Caracas.

Even though the rules governing the Parliament provide for the possibility to hold sessions out of the official premises, holding such a session must be decided by the Parliament, which was not the case yesterday. Besides, the congressman said, pro-government groups seek to expose their opponents to the attacks of "political criminals." He also said that the opposition would not accept the ruling party's efforts to continue controlling the Parliament on the ground of its scanty advantage.

According to assemblyman Felipe Mujica (MAS), the main victim of incidents at the lawmaking body is democracy. He regretted that the Parliament is now ruled by intolerance.

Leopoldo Martínez (Construyendo País) set clear that the ruling party could not introduce any reform to the Parliament internal regulations because two appeals against previous changes were filed before the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) by opposition congressmen. He explained that as the court had made no decision on the appeals, only the TSJ could rule on the issue.

The reform to the internal regulations of the National Assembly makes it possible to create regular committees without quorum and to declare valid decisions made without the minimum number of votes previously required. The reform also intends to eliminate the Legislative Committee -in charge of two controversial draft bills, the Radio and Television Responsibility Law and a reform to the Supreme Court of Justice Law, both promoted by the Executive Power. The government does not have a majority in this committee.

According to opposition leaders, the reform is a violation of the pact reached at the Negotiation and Agreement Table and recently signed by the parties. "We are aware of the need for a consolidation of the pluralism provided for in the Constitution. Venezuela needs the participation of all the sectors to continue its path in peace and democracy, so that each and everyone may express his or her ideas, adopt his or her respective position, and make decisions choosing among the different political options that exist," states article 5 of the agreement reached at the Negotiation Table.