Venezuelans Reject Chávez’s Socialist Plan

The vast majority of people in Venezuela think Hugo Chávez should change the course of his proposed reforms, according to a poll by Alfredo Keller y Asociados. 70 per cent of respondents think the government should not continue to convert the South American country to socialism. Chávez—a left-leaning leader—has been in office since February 1999. In July 2000, he was elected to a six-year term with 59.5 per cent of all cast ballots. In August 2004, Chávez won a referendum on his tenure with 59 per cent of the vote. The special election was called after opposition organizations in Venezuela gathered 2.5 million signatures to force a recall ballot. In December 2006, Chávez earned a new six-year term with 62.89 per cent of the vote.