RESUMEN Desde los 80 varios países latinoamericanos ejecutaron reformas constitucionales donde incorporaron la revocatoria de mandato entre otros mecanismos de democracia directa. Esta herramienta permite a los ciudadanos destituir representantes electos a través de un referéndum. Venezuela la incorporó en 1999 alcanzando incluso al presidente y la aplicó en 2004 contra Chávez. Este trabajo analiza el diseño institucional de la revocatoria en ese país para dilucidar su aplicabilidad y posibles

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... fectos sobre el régimen presidencial, indaga su potencial y sus limitaciones como vía de salida institucional frente a crisis de legitimidad de los representantes, detecta posibles usos indebidos del mecanismo por grupos con pretensiones electoralistas anticipadas, y examina su potencial y efectos para los regímenes democráticos de la región. Palabras Claves: Revocatoria de mandato -Venezuela -Caso Chávez. ABSTRACT RECALL IN VENEZUELA AND ITS INSTITUTIONAL DESIGN: THE CASE OF HUGO CHAVEZ From the 1980's onwards, several Latin American countries have implemented constitutional reforms that included recall amongst their mechanisms of direct democracy. This procedure allows citizens to remove elected officials from office through a referendum. Venezuela incorporated it in 1999, extending it to the presidential office. It was applied in 2004 against president Hugo Chávez. This paper analyzes the institutional design of the recall in that country in order to clarify its applicability and possible effects in presidential regimes. The paper also investigates its potential and limitations as an institutional solution against crisis of legitimacy, identifies its possible misuses in groups with anticipated electioneering claims, and examines their potential and effects for democratic regimes in the region.