Diplomats Gain Little in Venezuela Talks With Chavez's Crass Administration

CARACAS, Venezuela - After months of talks, diplomats trying to broker a peaceful end to Venezuela's political troubles have little to show for their efforts - save for a moribund accord to end verbal insults.

The so-called Group of Friends of Venezuela made up of diplomats from six countries was created in January to help the Organization of American States broker a solution to Venezuela's crisis.

But Chavez's government embarrassed OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria by backing out of an April 11 deal for a referendum on Chavez's presidency.

It was a blow as well to the efforts of the six Friends - Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and the United States.

Government negotiators now say that opposition delegates at the OAS talks don't represent all sectors opposing Chavez and suggest the OAS-mediated talks be replaced by debate in the Chavez-dominated National Assembly.

Lawmakers, they say, are better suited for the task because they were elected by the people, while the delegates at the OAS talks are chosen by political parties.

The six months of talks between Chavez's government and Venezuela's opposition have produced just an agreement in February to end verbal insults and political violence.

The mudslinging reached a new low after an opposition general strike curbed Venezuelan oil production and cost the economy $6 billion but failed to oust Chavez.

When a protester was slain during an opposition May Day march, Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel blamed the opposition and said that government adversaries were obsessed with "necrophilia."

Interior Minister Gen. Lucas Rincon told cadets at a police academy graduation that opposition leaders were "brain-damaged" because of excessive expectations on fighting crime.

Carlos Ortega, a labor boss granted asylum in Costa Rica after leading the general strike, said Chavez was "not well in the head."

Chavez routinely assails what he calls a "fascist," "terrorist" and "coup-plotting" opposition.

Chavez, a former paratrooper who led a failed 1992 coup attempt, was elected president in 1998 and re-elected to a six-year term in 2000. His opponents accuse him of mismanaging the economy, dividing the country along class lines and becoming increasingly authoritarian.

The president says a reckless opposition is more interested in his unconstitutional ouster than helping govern.

Chavez Sets New Condition for Referendum Thu May 8,11:25 PM ET - By FABIOLA SANCHEZ, AP [Full text] CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez's supporters said Thursday that they would agree to a referendum on Chavez's rule if his political opponents would also face recall votes.

Government delegates last month backed out of a deal setting up a plebiscite this year on President Chavez's rule.

Representatives from Chavez's government and opposition officials met with envoys from Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and the United States Thursday as the six nations attempted to restart talks.

Chavez's opponents, who led a two-month failed strike this winter to force Chavez's ouster, want to end his presidency with a referendum.

They say the constitution allows for a referendum on Chavez's rule halfway through a president's six-year-term - in Chavez's case, in August.

On Thursday, government representative Aristobulo Isturiz said any referendum on Chavez should also allow Venezuelans to vote on opposition politicians.

Organization of American States (OAS) head Cesar Gaviria (R) walks followed by Venezuela's Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel (L) after meeting with members of the six-nation Group of Friends and Venezuelan government representatives in Caracas, May 8, 2003. Venezuela's government said Thursday it was ready to sign an agreement with his opponents to hold a referendum on President Hugo Chavez's rule, but did not want international mediators to guarantee such a vote. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

"How can we talk about a referendum for the president and ignore the requests for referendums on governors, mayors and congressmen?" Isturiz said. "We have to talk about referendums in the plural."

Chavez supporters have requested recall referendums to remove elected officials from office. All those officials have already reached the midpoint of their terms.

There was no immediate comment from opposition leaders on Isturiz's proposal.

Venezuela has been riven with political violence in the past 13 months. Dozens of supporters from each side have been killed and hundreds of others wounded in street marches and rallies over the past 13 months.

Venezuela's opposition blames Chavez's left-leaning policies for the country's deepening economic crisis and accuses the former paratrooper of riding roughshod over the democracy.

Chavez blames the two-month strike for the economic downturn. The strike was called to force his ouster, but was unsuccessful. [End]

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