Venezuela assembly gives Chavez decree powers

* Socialist president given powers for 18 months

* Chavez had asked for one year

* Move is part of a raft of legislation

* Parliament also passed tough new banking rules (Adds details, background)

By Frank Jack Daniel

(Reuters) – Venezuela’s parliament gave President Hugo Chavez decree powers for 18 months on Friday, outraging opposition parties that accused him of turning South America’s biggest oil producer into a dictatorship.