Former Minister of Defense, retired General Raúl Isaías Baduel, Monday issued a statement rejecting the changes to the Constitution advanced by President Hugo Chávez.

"In the 18th Century, there were no constitutions because absolute and authoritarian monarchs held the power. The constitutions were born precisely to restraint the powers of the governments and protect citizens from the abusive use of power, as well as to ensure their rights and freedoms and set their duties," he said.

Baduel stressed that the constitutions should limit and control power.

"Any Constitution deregulating and erasing the boundaries of power should be deemed suspicious."

He added that the intended constitutional reform is only taking power away from the people.

Baduel voiced his rejection against the reform and said the modifications to the Constitution are a set of regressive proposals compared to the Constitution enacted in 1999.

He urged Venezuelans to get information about the constitutional reform and defend their rights. "Do not let them take power away from you." Baduel called upon the members of the National Armed Force to be on alert before the contents of the articles endorsed by the National Assembly.