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Venezuela Lawmakers Fight, Referendum Tensions Rise *** Left-winger Chavez, who was elected in 1998 and survived a coup last year, is resisting the fight for a constitutional referendum to try to vote him out of office. His foes say his self-styled "revolution" is leading Venezuela toward Cuba-style communism.

Following a scuffle between lawmakers in the National Assembly building, opposition Christian Democrat deputy Cesar Perez displayed bleeding scratch marks on his face and accused Chavez ally Iris Varela of having attacked him.

"This vindictive parliamentarian jumped at me," Perez said.

Varela, who earlier exchanged shoves and kicks with Perez, blamed him for starting the fight. "This man is an animal," she said as government and opposition deputies jeered each other.

Parliament leaders suspended the debate, in which opposition lawmakers were contesting government proposals to reform the 20-member Supreme Court by adding 12 more magistrates to be elected by a simple majority in the National Assembly. ***

Chávez demands U.S. action on `plotters'***CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez demanded Wednesday that the United States crack down on Cuban and Venezuelan ''terrorists'' allegedly training in Florida to kill him.

In a combative speech sure to enflame strained U.S. ties, Chávez also lambasted President Bush for invading Iraq and dismissed Bush's plea at the United Nations for help in Iraqi reconstruction.

''Who gave the United States government the right to bomb cities, invade countries, overthrow governments?'' Chávez demanded. ``No one gave this right to the United States government. And here, we will keep saying that.''

Chávez was supposed to attend the U.N. summit on terrorism earlier this week in New York but said he canceled because of an alleged plot to kill him. ***