Chavez gets powers to remake Venezuela

Venezuela's National Assembly has approved a law giving President Hugo Chavez power to enact sweeping measures by decree. The Congress, wholly loyal to President Hugo Chavez, met at a downtown plaza Wednesday to give the Venezuelan leader that authority.

Hundreds of Chavez supporters wearing red _ the color of Venezuela's ruling party _ gathered in the plaza, waving signs reading "Socialism is democracy!" as lawmakers read out the proposed bill giving the president special powers for 18 months to transform 11 broadly defined areas, including the economy, energy and defense.

"The people of Venezuela, not just the National Assembly, are giving this enabling power to the president of the republic," said congresswoman Iris Varela, addressing the crowd next to the National Assembly.

Chavez, who is beginning a fresh six-year term, says the legislation will be the start of a new era of "maximum revolution" during which he will consolidate Venezuela's transformation into a socialist society. His critics, however, are calling it a radical lurch toward authoritarianism by a leader with unchecked power.