Chávez party revives plan to lift presidential re-election limit | World news | guardian.co.uk

Venezuela's ruling party today said it would seek to reform the nation's constitution to allow the president, Hugo Chávez, to seek indefinite re-election. Proposed changes to end the two-term limit for presidents will be presented to the Venezuelan national congress after state elections in November. If approved, the amendments will go before the national electoral council and will then be put to the voters in a referendum. Chávez has said he needs more time to establish socialist economic principals in the Latin American country. 'The purpose of this amendment is to ask the country if they want or don't want the re-election of president Hugo Chávez,' said Freddy Bernal, a spokesman for Chávez's United Socialist party. 'If we want peace, tranquillity and development in the country, Hugo Chávez must continue being president.' Chávez, who orchestrated a failed military coup in 1992, was first elected in 1998. Under the current rules, he is barred from running again when his term expires in 2013.