VENEZUELA: "I'm No Dictator," Says Chavez; May Reduce Special Powers to 4-5 Months.

BLOOMBERG/

    Claiming he now needs only 4 to 5 months to pass laws without congress's approval, President Hugo Chavez said he may shorten a so-called enabling law that allows him to rule by decree instead of the 18 months granted in December.
    Chavez said the emergency decree was needed to help 130,000 people displaced by recent heavy rains.
    Chavez said that he’s not a dictator and called for a “conciliatory” dialogue with the new beefed-up congressional opposition.
    His decree powers have been criticized by OAS chief Jose Miguel Insulza and the U.S. State Department.

OAS: Insuza Re-Elected By Acclamation.

MERCOPRESS/    Heavy lobbying by the U.S. was probably responsible for the re-election of Chile's Jose Miguel Insulza, 66,  as secretary general of the OAS for another five-year term. Insulza was the only candidate proffered and was elected by acclamation though Bolivia abstained and several nations reportedly said their support was conditional.