Constitution of Venezuela

Venezuela's current constitution was approved by popular referendum in December 1999, promoted by President Hugo Chavez shortly after his 1998 election, and it replaced the country's 1961 constitution. Its adoption also formally renamed the country the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The 1999 constitution replaced the previous bicameral Congress with a unicameral National Assembly, extended the presidential term to six years with the possibility of one immediate re-election, and substantially expanded social, economic and indigenous rights guarantees. A further constitutional referendum in 2009 removed presidential term limits altogether, allowing indefinite re-election, a change made through amendment to the 1999 text rather than a wholly new constitution.