Expires law giving powers to legislate for Chavez
The Reporter / AP
Caracas, Venezuela, July 31, 2008



Although the president loses the power to legislate, it is not anticipated that the agent faces major obstacles to achieve the adoption of some regulations that were pending as the law Intelligence


The enabling act, which granted him powers to President Hugo Chávez to legislate per year and a half, came to an end on Thursday, leaving the balance as thirty-law decrees that allowed him to the Executive take control of key sectors of the economy, and introduce significant changes such as currency conversion and the formation of a national police force.

Even if Chavez loses the power to legislate, it is not anticipated that the agent faces major obstacles to achieve the adoption of some regulations that were pending as the Intelligence Act, and reforms of the laws of Labour and education since the National Assembly consists mostly by allies of the government.

In this regard the deputy Juan Montenegro official said the congress was ready to resume the draft laws to stop pending the Executive, and "look under a period of emergency, emergency, the approval of some of these laws are essential."

Montenegro said that "if at any time to request the Executive cree a law enabling again for specific purposes, for a matter of urgency in the country, will be taken up."

During his nearly ten years in office Chavez has received from the National Assembly enabling three laws.

Determined to advance the socialist process in Venezuela, Chavez used the Enabling Act, which gave the National Assembly in January 2007, to nationalize the oil of the four associations of the Orinoco Belt, the largest telephone and the country's steel, and electrical sectors and cement.

The bulk of the decree-law, which gave the agent during the 18 months that lasted their special powers, focused on the economic area.

Among the most significant legal instruments contained the law of currency conversion which involved the removal, at the beginning of the year, three zeros to the currency, and the renaming of bolivar to strong bolivar.

It was also established last November a tax on financial transactions, with a rate of 1.5%, which was eliminated after seven months due to the strong influence that took into accelerating inflation.

Likewise the law was changed to prohibit fishing trawling, and were amended Value Added Tax (VAT), cigarettes and liquor.

Another legal instruments to which the government gave special attention during the period of empowerment was the National Police Act, which came into force last April.

Through this new legislation established a security system, which was controlled by the central government, and imposed regulations to the 126 policemen who are under the control of mayors and governors.

On security Chavez approved a law in May to reorganize intelligence and counterintelligence for the secret police and forcing civilians to work as informers to the security services. Amid strong protests from opposition and humanitarian organizations the agent repealed the controversial law and sent to congress for its reformulation.

Juan Carlos Caldera, leader of the opposition party Justice First, said the enabling act did not represent progress for the country because it involved a "weakening" of the congress.

"This was a law enabling the president carte blanche to in this way could try to relaunch his government, ... but what we did was give more power to those who already have all the power, and increasingly desmeritar the National Assembly" , He said.