> >Venezuela name change will honor Bolivar > >Copyright © 1999 Nando Media >Copyright © 1999 APonline > > > > Venezuelan rights activists win major victory 10 years after riots > >By BART JONES > >CARACAS, Venezuela (November 12, 1999 7:56 p.m. EST >http://www.nandotimes.com) - >Venezuela's Constitutional Assembly voted Friday to change the >country's name to the >Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in honor of South American >independence hero Simon >Bolivar. > >The assembly voted to include the name change in a proposed new >constitution it is writing >for Venezuela. The new constitution is to be voted on in a national >referendum Dec. 15. > >The assembly had previously voted against the name change, saying it >would be too costly >to change passports, currency and official documents. > >But President Hugo Chavez, who idolizes Bolivar and proposed the new >name, lobbied >assembly members. The assembly is dominated by Chavez supporters. > >To minimize costs, the assembly decided that the name change would >be implemented >only after the current supply of documents and official papers is >depleted. > >Bolivar, who was born into a wealthy family in Caracas in 1783, is a >towering figure in >Venezuela and other Latin American nations. He freed Venezuela, >Colombia, Ecuador, >Peru and Bolivia - the country named after him - from Spanish rule. > >But his goal of uniting South America eventually failed, and in 1830 he >died a poor and hated >man. His reputation has since been rehabilitated. > >Chavez often quotes Bolivar and has named several of his government >programs after him. > >The assembly has come under fire for rushing the new constitution and >proposing >controversial articles regarding abortion, the media, the economy and >other issues. > >It approved some 400 articles in about three weeks and plans to hold >the second and final >debate on the entire document in about two days, wrapping up their work >this weekend. > >They say they are working quickly so that Chavez, who took office in >February, can move >ahead with a "peaceful revolution" aimed at reducing widespread >corruption and poverty in >the oil-rich South American nation. > > > > > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --- from list [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---
