Chávez loses bid to rule until 2050

The Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, has lost a referendum that would have allowed him to run for re-election indefinitely and enshrined socialism in the country. Voters narrowly rejected the proposed constitutional changes in the vote on Dec. 2, an unprecedented defeat for a leader accustomed to landslides. After a night of political drama, election officials announced the opposition had won 51% and the government 49%, a result that slammed the brakes on Chávez's self-styled revolution. Opposition supporters set off fireworks and poured onto the streets to celebrate. The rebuff will oblige Chávez to stand down when his term ends in 2013 rather than continuing to run for office until 2050 as he had hoped. The president conceded defeat in a televised broadcast minutes after the result was announced. "This was a photo finish," he said. The margin was "microscopic" but he would respect the will of the majority. "I thank you and I congratulate you," Chávez said calmly, referring to his opponents. "I recognize the decision a people have made." Turning to supporters, some of whom were weeping, he added: "Don't feel sad." The former soldier said he would continue his battle to build socialism and that the proposed changes had failed "for now" but were "still alive." suggesting he may try to revive them later. The conciliatory tone was a sharp contrast to his campaign rhetoric, which denounced his opponents as "fascists," "traitors" and "mental retards." Skeptics said the president played the role of dignified democrat only after frantic backroom talks with senior aides and election officials that delayed the results for hours. Chávez remains extremely popular with the poor majority and dominates Venezuela with the help of surging oil revenues. A shrewd tactician who controls the national assembly, central bank and state-run companies, he has bounced back from lesser setbacks during his eight years in power. Supporters had embraced the proposed changes as a continuation of a radical but peaceful transformation that has put Venezuela at the heart of South America's "pink tide" of left-wing governments. "He has woken us up, the poor," said Oscar Olachea, 35, a member of an agricultural cooperative. The referendum defeat showed a hemorrhage of support of so-called "light chavistas" who like the charismatic leader but are wary of South America's oil giant turning into a socialist state. To sweeten the reform Chávez had promised to cut the working day to six hours and grant pensions to housewives and informal workers. He tried to turn the vote into a plebiscite on his rule and said a no vote was a vote for President Bush, an interpretation that would make the US president -- whom he has called a donkey, an alcoholic and a war criminal. A turnout of 55%, low by Venezuelan standards, showed that many stayed home. "Abstention defeated us," said the president. "It's a lesson for us." Three months ago an opposition victory seemed unthinkable, but a loose coalition of students, small political parties and the Catholic church gained traction.