Filibuster Cartoons
 |
|
 |
The Venezuelan parliament, which is 100% controlled by parties loyal to President Hugo Chavez, voted the other day to give the presidente the power to rule by decree. This will allow him to bypass parliament altogether when he wants to make laws in the future.
Oscar Arias, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning president of Costa Rica, is among the many who have since denounced the move as an severe blow to Venezuelan democracy. Since his re-election last year Mr. Chavez has promised to socialize his country much more aggressively, including constitutional amendments to consolidate his own power. It’s a trend that is not uncommon among leaders of his ideological stripe.
