Signing off.(Radar)(Brief Article)

The Venezuelan Supreme Court dealt a blow to the political opposition of President Hugo Chavez when it rejected signatures from a referendum to yank the president from office. The opposition needed 2.4 million signatures to call for an early election, and it claimed to have garnered 3 million. The National Electoral Council (CNE), however, said 870,000 of those signatures were not valid. The high court agreed. The opposition can still appeal, but if a recall vote occurs after Aug. 19, Chavez wins the power struggle; his vice president will run the government through 2006, when Chavez's current term is scheduled to end.

"With this decision, all the obstacles facing the one are gone."

Ivan Rincon, Venezuelan Supreme

Court chief justice

(El Tiempo)

"Democratic and constitutional order has been fully reestablished in the country."

Jose Vicente Rangel,

Venezuelan vice president

(El Universal)

"We will stick to the point of obstinacy to the democratic path."

Jose Torrealba, spokesperson of the

Democratic Coordinator opposition coalition

(Reuters)

"Today we see Venezuela more torn apart than ever."

Felipe Gonzalez, former prime minister

of Spain (El Universal)

"The opposition will probably react by trying to force [Chavez] out of power in a less formal way."

Ricardo Amorim, head of Latin America

research at IDEAglobal

(The Washington Times)

"This is an abuse of power."

Herman Escarra, constitutional lawyer

(EITiempo)

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