So that there is no confusion, Antonio Guzman-Blanco put a comment in his original reply to the Oxford Human Rights Seminar correcting his understanding of when a recall referendum may take place. I think it deserves better visbility to make sure the information is correct, since the objective of this blog is to provide as accurate information as we can possibly obtain. Note that Antonio is not a lawyer, his information was from what he considered a good source. (What a contrast to the Chavez Government, we even recognize it when we are wrong, no?). This is the clarification:
Subsequent to my reply to the International Human Rights Seminar, it came to my attention that I was in error when I stated that the earliest possible date for a recall referendun was 10th January 2004 and not 19th August 2003. I was also mistaken when I stated that a decision by the Venezuelan Supreme Court established that Hugo Chavez' Presidential term commenced on 10th January 2001. In fact, the Venezuelan Supreme Court issued not one, but two decisions, dated 5th April 2001 and 16th May 2001 respectively, both of which state that his Presidential term commenced on 19th August 2000 and will end on 10th January 2007. Although the decisions do not specify which date corresponds to the "mid-term" for the purpose of convening a recall referendum, it appears that 19th August 2003 is probably correct.
I apologize for the confusion that my previous statement may have caused.
Antonio Guzmán-Blanco
12:24:46 AM 
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