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A constitutional referendum was held in Venezuela on 2 December 2007 to amend 69 articles of the 1999 Constitution.[1] President Hugo Chávez and supporters claimed the changes were needed to initiate the transformation into a socialist country; opponents claimed the reforms would undermine democracy in the country.[2]
The referendum was narrowly defeated, giving Chávez the first and only election loss of his nine-year presidency. University student protests and opposition from former allies helped fuel the defeat, but the referendum results and the 44% abstention rate suggest that support had also waned among Chávez's traditional base of Venezuela's poor.[3][4]
- ^ Romero, Simon (3 December 2007). "Venezuela Hands Narrow Defeat to Chávez Plan". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
- ^ Kofman, Jeffrey (3 December 2007). "Tension, Then Surprise, Chavez Loses Reform Vote". ABC Global News. Retrieved 3 December 2007.
- ^ Gould, Jens Erik (3 December 2007). "Why Venezuelans Turned on Chavez". Time. Archived from the original on 5 December 2007. Retrieved 5 December 2007.
- ^ Romero, Simon (4 December 2007). "Venezuela Vote Sets Roadblocks on Chávez Path". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 December 2007.