Venezuela’s Chavez says reelection is ‘written’

“I will be elected in December 2012. It is written,” he told thousands of supporters.

“I will be your servant until 2019 and then, good-bye,” he joked as the crowd chanted support for him.

“Well, you see, because this year I will be 57, and am going on 60,” he added.

Chavez was elected president in 1998, and reelected twice for six-year terms under Venezuela’s 2000 constitution. The constitution was later amended to allow unlimited presidential reelection.

The president has on numerous occasions expressed his intention to govern up to 2030.

He has also said he expects his ruling party to prevail in 2015 legislative elections.

Opposition lawmakers assumed 40 percent of seats in a new Venezuelan National Assembly this month following last year’s elections, ending five years of almost unopposed rule by Chavez supporters.-AFP