Merida, 4th December 2013 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela's National Assembly (AN) has voted to pass into law the late Hugo Chavez's plan outlining the second stage of Venezuela's transition to socialism.

“After the constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, adopted by the revolutionary forces and denied by the right...the plan...is the most important document governing the destiny of the country for six years,” AN head Diosdado Cabello stated after a majority of legislators backed the decision to make the document law on Tuesday.

Published in the lead-up to the October 2012 presidential elections, the 2013-2019 plan not only served as an electoral platform for Chavez, but also as a blueprint for Venezuela's development over the next six years. Current president Nicolas Maduro has pledged to continue Chavez's policies.

The plan is intended as a continuation of the First Socialist Plan 2007-2013, and was produced through consultation between the former Chavez government and grassroots social movements.

According to the document itself, the plan is “an updating of the strategic chart that should guide us through the transition towards Bolivarian socialism of the 21st century and includes five historical objectives.”

The five main objectives include preserving Venezuela's independence, building socialism, turning Venezuela into a “social, economic and political power”, promoting international multipolarity and preserving “peace on the planet and ... the human species”.

“President Nicolas Maduro brought this document that was made by Comandante Chavez [before the national assembly]. That's reason enough to approve it,”Cabello said.

“This Tuesday Comandante Chavez's legacy becomes stronger,” legislator Blanca Eekhout said.

Thanking the AN for passing the plan into law, Maduro praised the document as “a historic testament of extraordinary value”.

However, opposition legislators have riled against the plan, with AN member Maria Machado taking to Twitter to criticise the document.

“Mr Maduro, you know very well that the 'approval' of Plan (Destruction) of the Homeland by the AN, does not make it law,” Machado tweeted.

The approval of the plan as law comes within article 187 of the constitution which establishes that one of the responsibilities of the national assembly is to approve the “general lines of the economic and social development plan” within the third quarter of the first year of the constitutional period.

Venezuelanalysis's in-depth analysis of the 2013-2019 plan is available here.