The Chávez presidency Chávez took office in February 1999.
During his first year in office, his approval rating reached 80
percent, and his platformwhich advocated an end to corruption,
increased spending on social programs, and redistribution of the
country's oil wealthwas widely applauded. Riding this wave of
popularity, Chávez oversaw the drafting of a new constitution
that gave him unprecedented control over the three branches of
government. The new constitution required new elections for
every elected official in the country. In this mega-election of
2000, Chávez was reelected to a six-year term. He also increased
his power in the National Assembly, but his party fell short of
the two-thirds majority needed for absolute control.
Nevertheless, the pro-Chávez majority was large enough to pass
an enabling law that allowed the president to implement certain
laws by decree; the National Assembly also appointed all new
(pro-Chávez) justices to the Supreme Court. While many
Venezuelans had supported Chávez as a