Diario Libre reports today on the opinion of two lawyers, who say that if Hipolito Mejia seeks re-election in May and loses, he will not be able to run for office again. The newspaper cites lawyer Egmidio Valenzuela’s interpretation of the Art. 49 of the Constitution that reads: “The President of the Republic may opt for a second and sole consecutive period, not being able to opt ever again for the same post, nor for the Vice-Presidency of the Republic.” Valenzuela says that the Constitution would have to be reformed to enable the President to run again. The executive director of the Foundation for Institutionalism and Justice, Jose Alfredo Rizek, is of the same view. He told the newspaper, “In the eventuality that President Mejia does not win the popular vote in 2004, his career as President of the Republic or Vice-President would end there.”