Chavez foes wary over calls for reconciliation

Venezuela's opposition reacted warily to a call for conciliation from President Hugo Chavez, saying the socialist leader has spent years in office disparaging them as "bandits" and repeatedly stating that reconciliation was impossible.

Chavez made the call for mutual respect Saturday during a marathon address to the new National Assembly, which includes a strong opposition presence for the first time in years. He also said he was willing to sharply reduce the period of time he has to enact laws by decree, a power that critics say undermines Venezuela's democracy.

"We have a president who spends 365 days a year lashing out at the media, the church, NGOs, fighting with everyone and then he tells us one day that he wants dialogue," said Julio Borges, an opposition lawmaker who sat through the president's 7-hour state-of-the-nation speech.

"Dialogue is necessary for the country, we been asking for it for 12 years," Borges told a news conference.

Chavez, whose favourite taunts and labels for opponents include "squealing pigs," "oligarchs," "fascists," "mafia bosses," "coup mongers" and the term "little Yankees," should take action to demonstrate that he's willing to open talks with critics, he added.

Call for respect

During Saturday's National Assembly session, Chavez shook hands and chatted with opposition politicians before offering to relinquish legislation allowing him to bypass the congress for 18 months. He called for dialogue and mutual respect between political rivals.

"I'm happy to see you here, to welcome you," Chavez told opposition lawmakers during his speech. "I request respect for all of you."

Chavez called on his adversaries to be respectful and reasonable with their criticism of his policies, saying much of their allegations have been unfair. And he surprised his audience by saying the country's political opponents have an opportunity for dialogue despite their ideological differences.

"Let's not lose this opportunity," he said.

Chavez, a former army officer who is normally uncompromising when it comes to relations with Venezuela's opposition parties, has come under increased criticism since a lame-duck congress dominated by his allies granted him the decree power in December.

Critics, including university students, leaders of non-governmental organisations and representatives of the Catholic Church, among others, have accused Chavez of using the 'Enabling Law' to side-step congressional controls by lawmakers who were sworn in earlier this month.

Passing legislation

Chavez's ruling party has a strong majority in the assembly, but opponents gained ground in September congressional elections, winning 67 of the assembly's 165 seats. Their gains prevented Chavez allies from obtaining the two-thirds majority needed to pass some types of legislation.

Chavez claims that he needs special legislative powers to swiftly approve disaster-relief measures after severe floods and mudslides that left thousands homeless last year.

Congresswoman Vestalia Araujo said Sunday the assembly should have passed legislation to deal with the effects of the natural disaster rather than granting Chavez sweeping powers to legislate in a wide range of areas, including banking system, rural and urban land-reform initiatives, and Venezuela's economic system.

"The former assembly had the opportunity to approve laws to make those left homeless a priority," but instead it "gave the president these broad decree powers," Araujo said.

- AP