Venezuela armed forces on state of alert as general strike bites

That's all I have for now . . .

1 posted on 04/10/2002 12:54:09 PM PDT by colette_g

To: colette_g; Cincinatus' Wife

Here's hoping that we have the first indications of a coup against Chavez right now.

2 posted on 04/10/2002 1:01:36 PM PDT by hchutch

long live democracy.

3 posted on 04/10/2002 1:06:19 PM PDT by gfactor

The yahoo.com photo search shows police presence all over the place.

4 posted on 04/10/2002 1:08:37 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

If a guy is supporting a terrorist organization that is threatening American citizens, then he needs to go. I don't care if he was elected or whether he got power by other means. Any questions?

5 posted on 04/10/2002 1:10:54 PM PDT by hchutch

To: colette_g; hchutch

Venezuelan army general condemns President Chavez for 'passive' attitude toward Colombian rebels -- Wed Apr 10, 3:22 PM ET By FABIOLA SANCHEZ, Associated Press Writer [Full Text] CARACAS, Venezuela - Two Venezuelan military officers rebelled Wednesday against President Hugo Chavez, one of them claiming Chavez had ordered the National Guard to use force to remove protesters from oil monopoly headquarters.

National Guard Gen. Rafael Damiani Bustillos claimed Chavez had ordered guardsmen to remove thousands of protesters who are supporting dissident executives at the oil monopoly Petroleos de Venezuela. The executives want Chavez to rescind top managers he appointed on Feb. 25.

Government officials couldn't immediately be reached by telephone to comment on Bustillos' claim.

Guard troops took positions around the building in eastern Caracas on Tuesday to protect it.

"The president of the republic ordered the National Guard to use force to remove people in front of (the building)," Bustillos told Associated Press Television News.

He urged officers not to obey "a presidential lunacy that is going to (ruin) the name of the armed forces, especially the National Guard." He also appealed for calm, both from the opposition and the government.

Interior Minister Ramon Rodriguez Chacin said earlier Wednesday the government would take any action "under the law" to preserve order.

Also on Wednesday, an army general whose duties included patrolling part of the western border with Colombia accused Chavez of taking a "passive" attitude toward leftist Colombian guerrillas.

Brig. Gen. Nestor Gonzalez Gonzalez said at a Caracas news conference that Colombian guerrillas maintain camps along the remote frontier and that Chavez's government was lying when it denied such camps exist inside Venezuela.

Venezuelan Army General Nestor Gonzalez departs after speaking to the press, April 10, 2002. General Gonzalez sharply criticized President Hugo Chavez, accusing him of betraying the nation with his leftist policies and of lying about the presence of Colombian Marxist guerrillas in venezuelan territory. The denunciation comes at a time when the populist leader is facing a national anti-goverment strike by labor and business opponents and an escalating protest in the state oil giant PDVSA. REUTERS/Stringer - Apr 10 3:05 PM ET

Gonzalez Gonzalez accused Chavez of refusing to govern democratically, of sympathizing with the rebels and politicizing Venezuela's military.

"Mr. President, you have betrayed the country," he said. "Respect the national armed forces."

Defense Minister Jose Vicente Rangel said he had no immediate comment.

Gonzalez Gonzalez is a former commander of army schools and of forces operating in the western state of Tachira, along the Colombian border. He was relieved of his command in January after news reports that he urged fellow generals to refrain from politics.

Last month, Colombian Gen. Martin Carreno said rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, had camps inside Venezuelan territory and had attacked his forces from the other side of the border. The March 20 battle left at least 41 soldiers and rebels dead. [End]

6 posted on 04/10/2002 1:19:29 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Now, all we need to do is to stop giving the AUC such flak, and that will take care of Colombia's problems.

7 posted on 04/10/2002 1:23:37 PM PDT by hchutch

8 posted on 04/10/2002 1:26:49 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Good. I just hope we don't leave Castano and the AUC to the same fate as Savimbi and UNITA.

9 posted on 04/10/2002 1:33:56 PM PDT by hchutch

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Yes! I hope this is it. I am not in favor of coups, but Chavez (like Hitler, in his day) has essentially shut all the democratic doors by changing the Constitution, replacing the Judiciary, etc., etc. If his opponents do not act now, it's going to be too late, and he will be so entrenched it will take a direct attack from us (not likely to happen) to drive him out. And we'll have a younger, more radical Castro clone, who controls one of the major oil supplies, sitting not that far off our shores, and doing everything he can to destroy us because he hates us. Not to mention how much he hates the Venezuelan people who do not support him.

10 posted on 04/10/2002 1:41:18 PM PDT by livius

LET'S GET THOSE OIL PRICES HIGHER VENEZUELA! WOO HOO!

(Meanwhile, in the event of coup, all Venezuelan ladies under 40 are to report to Clemenza's Miami apartment immediately).

11 posted on 04/10/2002 1:48:10 PM PDT by Clemenza

12 posted on 04/10/2002 1:50:03 PM PDT by rw4site

13 posted on 04/10/2002 1:53:59 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

Hopefully, he has a nasty accident during said coup.

14 posted on 04/10/2002 1:55:08 PM PDT by hchutch

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Adios chavez!

I hope

15 posted on 04/10/2002 2:58:30 PM PDT by watcher1

Can we get a Venezualan Pinochet to Allende this wanabee commie dictator?

16 posted on 04/10/2002 4:26:19 PM PDT by rmlew

I think Otto Reich is searching right now :-)

Which is why Democrats were frantic to not confirm. Thank God for recess appointments.

17 posted on 04/10/2002 4:30:56 PM PDT by LarryLied

If a guy is supporting a terrorist organization that is threatening American citizens, then he needs to go. I don't care if he was elected or whether he got power by other means. Any questions?

who does he support? the farc? even rightist generals call it passive.

19 posted on 04/10/2002 11:56:16 PM PDT by gfactor

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