The Venezuelan National Assembly has voted to transfer power over all arteries of transit from the States to the Federal government. This gives Chavez and his administration more control over the nations transit links, and takes it away from those who oppose him in state governments. The government has claimed they have consolidated the control of transit links, including highways, airports and ports, for “strategic reasons”.

There have been many jurisdictional clashes between mayors, governors and the federal government. The majority of the National Assembly are Chavez supporters, whereas there is much dissent in many of the wealthier cities and states.

This seizure of jurisdictional powers comes weeks after Chavez held a referendum which was passed allowing officials to run for an unlimited number of terms. Chavez has stated he intends to run for the Presidency again in 2012 and has even mentioned that he would like to stay in power for a decade or longer, this after over a decade of governing Venezuela.

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