In this week’s roundup…the Venezuelan President’s stint in Cuba stirs up questions and conflict back home regarding the constitutionality of enacting laws and governing Venezuela while abroad for an extended period of time. Meanwhile, the ministers of the Chávez government begin to institute electricity rationing across the country as a way to address the power outages across the country. Over consumption of energy is but the latest justification by the government for the power outages after previously blaming droughts, business consumption and sabotage by opposition activists.
Post-op Chavez runs government from Cuba, Reuters via Toronto Sun
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he has his “full faculties” after surgery in Cuba and was still managing government affairs despite being ordered to rest for several more days. Chávez, 56, had a pelvic abscess successfully removed on Friday during a scheduled visit to Cuba, forcing him to postpone his return to Venezuela.
Venezuelan Congress Blocks Temporary Hand-Off Of Chavez’s Duties¸ Dow Jones Newswire
Supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez rejected a proposal late Tuesday in the national congress that called for a temporary hand-off of presidential duties during the leader’s recovery in Cuba from unplanned surgery.
Chavez’s medical absence in Cuba angers opposition, Reuters via The Gazette
President Hugo Chávez’s continued absence in Cuba after surgery has laid bare his one-man dominance of Venezuelan politics and infuriated opponents hoping to dethrone him in next year’s vote.
Lawmaker to file a complaint against Chávez and his ministers, El Universal
According to opposition deputy Alfonso Marquina (Un Nuevo Tiempo, UNT, state of Miranda), President Hugo Chávez and his Cabinet violated the Constitution and Venezuelan laws after because they enacted the Special Debt Law while Chavez was outside Venezuela and without convening a Council of Ministers.
Venezuela to Restrict Electricity Use for Second Straight Year on Blackout, Bloomberg
Venezuela, the largest oil producer in South America, will announce measures to curb electricity consumption for a second-consecutive year, prompted by a blackout in the country’s most-populous state, Zulia.
Venezuela Charges State Electricity Co Worker With Sabotage, The Wall Street Journal
Venezuelan authorities Tuesday charged an employee of state-run electricity company Corpoelec with sabotage, saying the act led to a major electricity failure across several states in May. In a statement, the attorney general’s office said it charged Luis Alfonzo Pena Nañez for his role in the power outage. The ministry also said it would charge another worker, Hugo Alberto Aguilar Caceres, on Friday. Under state law, the accused could face four to eight years in prison.