A recount of the petition for a referendum to cut short Chavez's term of office was made with international supervision, including ex-President Jimmy Carter. People had to go in to re-certify their signatures. Some took their signatures off, saying they were pressured into signing by their pro-money employers, but many recertified. It was close. But now Chavez has announced that he will accept the conduct of a referendum on his presidency. It will probably take place in August. This was a concession on his part; he doesn't want to look like a dictator -- but he's still ignoring the rules, since the vote wasn't completely in when he conceded. http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?o...B4E530D98A7E99

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissin...43&sid=4979138

The demonstrators down your way, if they're the usual anti-Chavez group, are probably just drumming up support for the referendum. Or if they're pro-Chavez, they're out to deny the opposition's belief that they're on a roll and are going to win now. What will happen next is anybody's guess.

That's how things stand at noon, June 4, 2004.