quote:

Venezuelans voted in a tightly contested Sunday referendum on whether to expand President Hugo Chavez's power and allow the leftist leader to stay in office for as long as he keeps winning elections.

The anti-Washington firebrand, who has easily won one election after another against a fragmented opposition, is in the hardest campaign of his life as he moves to deepen his self-styled revolution by reforming the constitution.

He predicts he will win by 10 percentage points but most polls show a neck-and-neck race between backers of the referendum, which Chavez says will usher in "21st century socialism," and those who call it an assault on democracy.

Voters were awakened by a predawn state-ordered bugle call mixed with sirens to prompt them to head to polling stations.

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Early results showed Vladimir Putin's party winning more than 60 percent of the vote Sunday in a parliamentary election that could pave the way for him to remain the country's leader even when he steps down as president.

The vote followed a Kremlin campaign that relied on a combination of persuasion and intimidation to ensure victory for Putin's United Russia party.

With ballots from about 30 percent of precincts counted, United Russia was leading with 63.6 percent, while the Communists — the only opposition party expected to get seats — were in a distant second with 11.3 percent, said Central Election Commission Vladimir Churov.

Two other pro-Kremlin parties — the Liberal Democratic Party and Just Russia were following with 10.6 percent and 7.1 percent, respectively, he said.

The Kremlin has portrayed the election as a plebiscite on Putin's nearly eight years as president — with the promise that a major victory would allow him somehow to remain as leader after his second term ends next year.

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ORIGINAL: Zensee

Two modern monarchs waiting to be crowned on the same weekend. A sad start to the new Millennium.

I wish tyrants would stop sullying the term socialism by attaching it to their anti-democratic conspiracies. Be a mensch and call it what it is. Don't hide behind democratic traditions of the left or right wing.

Anyone giving odds on either of these votes being free and fair?


Z.

quote:

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez appeared headed for victory on Sunday in a referendum on allowing the leftist to rule for as long as he keeps winning elections, government-linked sources said, citing exit polls.

Three exit polls showed the anti-American leader won by between six and eight percentage points in a vote where turnout was low, the two sources said.

If his victory is confirmed, the referendum vote on a raft of reforms would allow Chavez -- in office since 1999 -- to run for reelection indefinitely, control foreign currency reserves, appoint loyalists over regional elected officials and censor the media if he declares an emergency.

Chavez has said he wants to rule for life and turn the major oil exporter into a socialist state.

The opposition was skeptical of the government sources' exit poll data.