Hugo Chavez – and his wee grandson – celebrate
Daylife/AP Photo by Fernando Llano

Venezuelans have voted to lift limits on terms in office for elected officials, allowing President Hugo Chavez to stand for re-election. With 94% of votes counted, 54% backed an end to term limits, a National Electoral Council official said.

“The doors of the future are wide open,” Mr Chavez shouted from the balcony of the Miraflores presidential palace after the results were announced.

“In 2012 there will be presidential elections, and unless God decides otherwise, unless the people decide otherwise, this soldier is already a candidate.”

Crowds of the president’s supporters filled in the streets, letting off fireworks, waving red flags and honking car horns.

More than 11 million voters out of almost 17 million who were eligible took part in Sunday’s referendum, said the head of the electoral body. International observers said the ballot was free and fair, and opposition leaders were quoted as saying they would not contest the vote.

Term limits are one of my pet peeves. As pissed off as I get about reactionary politicians being re-elected, I have no right to demand that voters have no choice to vote for them, again. Right-wingers only bring up the question when there are popular left-wing or liberal candidates in office.

In fact, the archetype for this was the 2-term limit passed in the United States after World War 2 – passed by conservatives afraid there might be another liberal Democrat candidate in the mold of Franklin Roosevelt. They have the same fears over Barack Obama, nowadays.