Recently Ousted Communist President Hugo Chavez Reclaims Power in Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela, April 14 — Hugo Chavez was freed by his military captors and returned to reclaim the Venezuelan presidency Sunday, in a dramatic restoration of power two days after the military said he had resigned. Chavez stepped down from a helicopter, smiled and raised his fist in triumph as a greeted hundreds of cheering supporters outside the Miraflores presidential palace. Thousands in the street beyond began singing the Venezuelan national anthem.

HIS RETURN SHORTLY after 3 a.m. followed the resignation of Pedro Carmona, who resigned amid violent protests after just one day in office as interim president of Venezuela, the No. 3 supplier of oil to the United States.

Chavez’s vice president, Diosdado Cabello, had declared himself acting president until Chavez’s return from military custody. He appeared healthy and hugged supporters as a military band played. Chavez’s family, supporters and former government officials insisted he never resigned as president, as Carmona and Venezuela’s high command claimed.

In a largely conciliatory speech, Chavez later told a news conference he had not been mistreated and recognized that both his government and his opponents had made mistakes. “There isn’t going to be any retaliation, no witch hunt. I haven’t any thirst for revenge,” Chavez said, calling for his supporters who rioted on the streets in support of his return on Saturday to go quietly back to their homes. State prosecutors were interviewing Carmona and several senior military officers at the Fuerte Tiuna military base, even though they were not formally under arrest, Chavez’s defense minister, Jose Vicente Rangel, said.

INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT

The Organization of American States was sending a delegation to Venezuela to assess the situation. Chavez is a former army paratrooper who led a failed 1992 coup but was elected in 1998 on an anti-poverty platform. His term was to end in 2006. Chavez’s attorney general, Isaias Rodriguez, told Carmona’s ministers they were under arrest pending possible charges. “They must take responsibility. They will be put on trial with all their rights, but they will be put on trial,” Cabello said. Some military officials also would be tried for military rebellion, he said. Instantly returning to his old talkative form, Chavez gave a rambling hour-long monologue that ended shortly before dawn broke over the troubled capital. He illustrated his promises of respect for the law by waving a small blue copy of the country’s constitution and held up a crucifix he had taken with him into captivity. Chavez recalled how he had washed his own socks and underwear and said the popular protests and army mutinies in his favor marked a historic triumph for the Venezuelan people. “I never for a moment doubted that we would return. But I never thought we would return so quickly,” he said.

Statements by military generals that he had resigned and asked to be sent abroad were lies, he said. “They put a piece of paper on the table saying “Resign,” but I said, “I am a president being held prisoner, but I am not resigning.”

CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS RALLY

Tens of thousands of people surrounded the presidential palace Sunday after news of Carmona’s resignation. They set off powerful fireworks as they waited for Chavez’s anticipated return from military custody. “Chavez is coming! Chavez is coming!” said Dario Fereira, an unemployed man wearing a tattered shirt. Chavez administration officials — many of whom had evaded dozens of police raids under Carmona’s brief reign — and loyalist military officers hugged each other in the palace’s marble-floored courtyard.

“In these past two days they have persecuted us,” said Rafael Ramirez, president of the state-run national gasoline company. Unshaved and with red-rimmed eyes, Ramirez said he had hidden in friend’s homes after Chavez’s arrest on Friday. Asked about the turnaround, Ramirez said: “It’s marvelous because the Venezuelan people responded to this illegal coup attempt.” Chavez’s labor minister, Maria Cristina Iglesias, said Chavez was kept on Orchila Island off the Venezuelan coast. Just hours earlier, interim president Carmona — a businessman and co-leader of a general strike called last week against Chavez — announced he had resigned.

RECENT DAYS DEADLY

Carmona was named president by the military high command Friday, hours after generals arrested Chavez for allegedly ordering gunmen to fire on a massive opposition protest on Thursday. Sixteen died and hundreds were wounded in the melee. Dozens more died in rioting and looting on Saturday. Thursday’s march capped a general strike called to support oil executives who were protesting a Chavez-appointed board of directors at the state oil monopoly Petroleos de Venezuela. A work slowdown by the executives severely cut production and exports in Venezuela. Caracas Mayor Alfredo Pena said at least nine people were killed and 40 wounded Saturday. But an Associated Press reporter witnessed dozens of bodies at city hospitals.

“We have every right to protest, but they are gunning us down out there,” said Edgar Paredes, his clothes soaked in blood as he brought his wounded brother to a hospital. He didn’t know who shot Luis, and probably never will. Like most violent demonstrations here, gunfire can erupt from any side, at any time.

Demonstrators supporting Chavez — or opposed to the way he was ousted — forced Carmona to step down. The commander of a strategic air base in the central city of Maracay rebelled Saturday, setting in motion nationwide protests demanding Chavez’s return. Thousands took to the streets, taking over state TV, to demand that Chavez be reinstalled. Signaling a split in the armed forces, several military commanders refused to accept Carmona’s appointment.

Some Latin American leaders denounced Friday’s irregular transition of power. The United States said Chavez was responsible for his own ouster because of attempts to violently suppress a Thursday opposition demonstration in which gunmen fired upon a 150,000-strong march. At the palace, supporters displayed a huge poster of Chavez lit by floodlights. A military brass band stood at the ready. Red-bereted soldiers with automatic rifles paced through the hallways; others pumped their fists and egged on the crowd. “Chavistas” seized the state-run TV station late Saturday. Even as gunfire rattled downtown streets, pro-Chavez lawmaker Juan Barreto praised the “peaceful insurrection” that called for Chavez’s return.

CARMONA’S CONCESSIONS

Bowing to a demand by restive army commanders, Carmona said earlier Saturday that Chavez would be allowed to leave the country. He promised to reinstate the country’s National Assembly, which he dissolved on Friday, along with the Constitution, Supreme Court, and other institutions. Carmona also lost the support of the 1 million-member Venezuelan Workers Confederation, which co-led last week’s general strike, after Carmona decide to dissolve Congress, said confederation director Jesus Urbietta. Jesse Chacon, president of Venezuela’s telecommunications agency, said TV stations’ conduct last week will be investigated. Chacon condemned stations that failed to cover protests against Chavez’s ouster.

At least 20 disturbances were reported in Caracas on Saturday. Unrest also was reported in the cities of Maracay, Guarenas, Los Teques and Coro. Police fought pitched battles with Chavez supporters in the western Caracas slum of Catia, a Chavez stronghold.

Castro wins again.

Again, if Bush had concentrated on getting Castro out of power we wouldn't be reading about a Communist victory in Venezuela. Columbia is next my friends.

When South America turns red do you think Bush or some other RHINO will finally close the border?

i have a Venezuelan friend that has been forwarding me email accounts from a friend of her's in Caracas. She was euphoric with his ouster yesterday, her entire family, including elderly mother, aunts, uncles, cousins etc. had participated in the March. Today, they are in despair. She said that there is no press, no news accounts, except channel 8, where the idiot Chavez has been claiming that he was kidnapped and held against his will. No flights out of the country, and Chavistas are attacking cars on the highway that look even remotely new, thinking them to be vehicles of the "oligarchos".

"He illustrated his promises of respect for the law by waving a small blue copy of the country’s constitution and held up a crucifix he had taken with him into captivity"

Gee, change the crucifix for a Bible and it sounds like someone we know/knew.

Don't forget, folks, there were 500,000 people in the streets on Thursda/Friday protesting Chavez. Where did they go?

I'm sure many of them are scared, but I also think that many of them know that it's now or never to get rid of Chavez. That's certainly how I'd feel if I lived there.

A risk? Of course. But I'm sure a lot of these people know that they're going to be killed anyway, when Chavez gets around to settling accounts. Go down fighting.

And this time, make sure Chavez doesn't get out the door alive. That was their big mistake, because they were playing by civilized rules with somebody to whom the rules mean nothing.

Instantly returning to his old talkative form, Chavez gave a rambling hour-long monologue that ended shortly before dawn broke over the troubled capital. He illustrated his promises of respect for the law by waving a small blue copy of the country’s constitution and held up a crucifix he had taken with him into captivity.

Does this guy sound like a Latin American Clinton or what?

Chavez doesn't enjoy the support of any of the major sectors of the nation. Not the oil industry, not the farm industry, the middle class, the business sector. His poll numbers were abysmal as well.

He has the rabid support of the "Welfare sector"...

I hope you are right. I hadn't done the math on the relative size of the crowds. I hope we have a good CIA agent down there because we are going to need him after this mess. Castro is playing for keeps. I'm not sure we are.

--I don't know, you tell me. all three of them were purged around the same time two days ago, and all their efforts got deleted. Think about how orwellian this is. I posted my first ever started-post on freerepublic yesterday to ask that question, but the thread got deleted. As these actual questions and replies might get deleted, I am probably taking a chance to even discuss it calmly. Oh well.

Now I have a theory why, but I will hold my public counsel on it. Just think of the sum totality of events not only in the nation but on this board, a very large and important internet political activist communications site, think about what has occurred here and in meatworld pre election and post election, and pre 9-11 and post 9-11, think about those folks efforts, think about some of the rather-strange- unanswered questions that have arisen since the attack, then add it up. Personally, I don't like what I get when I do it.

--he had the support of the air force general with the f-16's. Think about what happened in south america in the past when they actually have for-real serious coups, not this baby coup we saw. Whomever owns the high ground and the serious firepower wins. Numbers on the ground mean zilch. Check ashcanistan for this deal. High ground and firepower, high ground and firepower. There could be 500,000 anti chavez supporters in a mass demonstration, how many jets would it take to disperse the crowd and restore "law-n-order"? One? Probably. Remember, every "leader" always says the same thing, in some word arrangement or other like this -->their opposition are called "terrorists". You are "with" the leader or a "terrorist". Works in every country on the planet, always has, too, until they don't control the serious firepower.

Brazil along with Argentina had originally criticized the coup against Chavez. They demanded that elections be held immediately before they would recognize the interim Carmona government. but that was yesterday... and much has changed. No word yet on whether they're happy about Chavez's return.

BTW, it's very hard to get news directly from Venezuela right now. I've been reading their newspapers off the web for the past couple of days, and they have been excellent sources. That is until today. For instance, the offices of El Universal closed yesterday for fear of fighting and (apparently) for fear that the newspaper itself might be the target of retributive attacks by Chavistas. I doubt they published a paper today in Caracas. There are practically no new news stories on their site today. The few new stories there are I suspect were posted remotely to their website.

things are obviously very hairy down there right now.

This is further proof that the liberals in the Senate are wrong to shut off oil production in Alaska, and, furthermore, Jeb Bush is wrong to stop drilling off his long coast as well.

There isn't enough oil in America for us to become energy self-sufficient. But if we try, we can close the gap, we can increase the odds for the survival of our economic system. As for the RATS, they don't want to drill because they hope and yearn for economic downturns that might bring them back into the whitehouse. They are truly RATS indeed.

Here's another scenario for Venezuela. Considering the technical and professional training of Air Force officers whos to say that the one who got Chavez reinstated doesn't have a deal with the U.S? Like as long as Chavez is in power Venezuela will not abide by OPEC production limits. A power-for-oil deal like the Sauds got.

Imo the State Department is pulling the strings here. I.e., commie-bankers.

He has the rabid support of the "Welfare sector"...

Of course that's where his support comes from. He's cannibalizing what's left of their market economy and feeding it to a vast army of slackers. And it looks like they only have one job: get really pissed off if anyone touches Chavez. They are true junk yard dogs.

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