Movements to rewrite national Constitutions are dramatically changing the political paths of several South American countries, triggering bitter debates over whether new charters will benefit future generations or simply serve the political ambitions of current presidents.

In three Andean countries—Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela—political leaders recently have pursued constitutional rewrites that would make it more difficult for future administrations to reverse the policies they instituted while in office. But in recent weeks, the proposals have reenergised opposition movements, which complain that their governments are tilting toward authoritarianism.

“In all of these cases, the Constitutions will only last as long as the ruler does,” said Allan Brewer-Caraas, an opponent of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez who participated in a constituent assembly in the 1990s.

In trying to rewrite the charters, Chavez and his allies in Bolivia and Ecuador hope to forge new national identities—and awaken a strong sense of hope among their poorest citizens. They speak of their proposed changes in revolutionary terms, advocating a stronger state role in the economy and less reliance on global markets, which they say favour more-developed countries.

No one in South America is talking about abandoning electoral politics, but each of the three countries undergoing constitutional battles is experimenting with what the Venezuelan president calls “21st-century socialism”.

Both Chavez and Bolivian President Evo Morales proposed changes that would do away with current term limits for presidents, and Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa’s supporters advocate permanently dismantling the opposition-controlled legislature. The opposition, though, has only gotten louder since the changes were first proposed.

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