Venezuelan gov't has been using "decree powers" for half a century!

[spanza]

8. Not really... it had been used 4 times in 40 years from 1958 to 1998.

And this is the 6th time in 14 years.

First it was used to institutionalize the democratic regime in the late 50's, then to nationalize the oil industry in the 70's and to deal with the Debt Crisis in the early 80's. Finally, in the 90's after the failed coup attempt by Chavez and the destitution of Perez, it was used to direct the transition toward a new presidency.

Since 1998, it's been used to deal with floods, fight against corruption or inflation... matters that do not need the executive to legislate when the ruling party has already the majority in the Assembly = a pretext to concentrate power in the hands of one man.