Chile not yet ready for democracy, says Govt

Press, 11 July 1980, Page 6

Chile not yet ready for democracy, says Govt

NZPA-Reuter Santiago Chile’s military Government has published a draft constitution which would allow President Augusto Pinochet to remain in power for a five-year transition period leading to elected government. The draft, prepared over the last three years by two State commissions, said

Chile was not ready for a quick return to democracy and a five-year gap was needed after the constitution came into force.

The proposals, designed to replace Chile’s 1925 Constitution, would prohibit doctrines of a totalitarian character or based on class struggle, thus outlawing communists.

The document was handed to the rulking military junta yesterday to be studied and amended. It will then be passed for the approval of General Pinochet, who has ruled Chile since overthrowing the elected Government of the Marxist President Salvador Allende in September, 1973. The document said the idraft would be put to a national plebiscite for approval, but set no time-table. General Pinochet would appoinf members of the National Assembly during the transition period. Future Presidents would be directly elected with a run-off between the two leading candidates if necessary, the draft said. The term would be for six years with re-election banned, except for the first election. This would in theory allow General Pinochet to stand and, if elected, rule for a total of 11 years from the inception of the new constitution. Under the proposed constitution, Chile would have universal suffrage with a minimum voting age of 18 and the National Assembly would have 120 deputies and 40 senators.