Chavez inauguration put off
(01-09 11:39)
Ailing Venezuela President Hugo Chavez, 58, cannot return home in time for his inauguration tomorrow and so will take the oath of office at a later date before the Supreme Court, the government announced.
The confirmation was in a letter to the National Assembly from Vice President Nicolas Maduro. “According to the recommendation of the medical team... the process of post-operative recover must extend beyond January 10 of the current year, reason for which he he will not be able to appear on that date before the National Assembly,'' said the letter, read out by National Assembly speaker Diosdado Cabello, AFP reports. Under article 231 of the constitution, Chavez would take the oath before the Supreme Court later.
Opposition leader and former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles said “a constitutional conflict has arisen.’’
The government says the swearing-in is a mere formality that can be delayed, but the opposition says he must at least be declared temporarily incapacitated and replaced on an interim basis by the National Assembly speaker.
The charter also says new elections must be held within 30 days if the president-elect or president dies or is permanently incapacitated either before he takes office or in the first four years of his six-year term.
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