(El Nacional) - "The law which President Hugo Chávez asked to be applied when foreigners on Venezuelan soil criticize the national institutions, dates back to 1942 (.)

The instrument that allows the deportation of those who break the law is the Law of Foreign Activities on Venezuelan Soil, approved by the Congress on 29 June 1942 and published in the official Gazette No. 20835.

The articles 2 and 3 of this legislation explicitly prohibits foreigners to exercise rights of political involvement in Venezuela, plant ideas o propaganda of political nature or ideology, or exercise influence or co-action on Venezuelan citizens to obligate or induct them to adopt politic doctrines, ideas or disciplines.

'Up to when are we to allow Mr X to come into our country and into our home to say that there is a dictatorship; that our President is a tyrant? No, this is prohibited to foreigners by law, said President Chávez in clear reference to visitors from other countries who have participated in debates and conferences organized by the opposition where politics of the Venezuelan Government are attacked.

Recently this was done by Manuel Espino, President of the Mexican National Action Party (Conservative), who in a public forum made comments on the apparent intention of the President to maintain in power indefinitely(.)".