[Cincinatus' Wife]

Top Venezuela Union to Chavez No More Games **** Baltazar Porres, a senior Catholic bishop whom Chavez turned to for protection on the night of the coup, said last week's violence was a "machete blow to the soul of the Venezuelan people" and though Chavez' apologies for the errors of his rule were a good start "more has to be done." He has called for a full investigation into the killings. A prominent human rights group said on Saturday at least three journalists had received death threats after reporting on the killings, which opposition groups blame on armed gangs and other allies of Chavez. The government says most of the dead were Chavez supporters.***

[Cincinatus' Wife]

LINKED to timeline of Chavez - union conflict the last 6 months: Venezuela labor leader warns of potential civil war, disarm supporters, change Cabinet*** Ortega said Chavez should disarm the militant support groups known as "Bolivarian Circles." The president's critics say those are potential paramilitary groups and some of their members were filmed shooting at demonstrators on April 11. "These armed groups are the big question," Ortega said, "because with them present, there is no guarantee of safety for any of us."

Ortega won one of the few political victories over the president by defeating Chavez-backed rivals in a union vote last year. Chavez then refused to recognize the union leaders, who were also upset by several laws he enacted by decree. Ortega on Saturday welcomed Chavez's appointment of Ali Rodriguez, secretary-general of OPEC, as the new head of Venezuela's state oil monopoly. "He has been capable of good work ... we have had a relationship with him in the past," Ortega said. He demanded that the company's yet-to-be-named board of directors be "broad" and include civic leaders. Chavez sparked a crisis in the company, known as PDVSA, by attempting to pack the previous board with supporters and political appointees.

Ortega confirmed that during a recent labor trip to the United States, the subject of dissatisfaction with Chavez came up, but he said U.S. officials said they would not back a coup. "The State Department said they wouldn't support any kind of coup, and that any change that occurred in the country had to come from a democratic viewpoint," Ortega said. He pledged to lead his unions in a traditional May 1 march, but said it would not become the kind of political demonstration held on April 11.***