Posted on 04/14/2002 6:27:17 AM PDT by rightwing2
Ousted Venezuela president returns
Chavez, freed, reclaim soffice from which he was ousted
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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.
Chavezs vice president, Diosdado Cabello, had declared himself acting president until Chavezs return from military custody. He appeared healthy and hugged supporters as a military band played. Chavezs family, supporters and former government officials insisted he never resigned as president, as Carmona and Venezuelas 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 isnt going to be any retaliation, no witch hunt. I havent 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, Chavezs 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. Chavezs attorney general, Isaias Rodriguez, told Carmonas 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 countrys 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 Carmonas resignation. They set off powerful fireworks as they waited for Chavezs 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 Carmonas brief reign and loyalist military officers hugged each other in the palaces 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 friends homes after Chavezs arrest on Friday. Asked about the turnaround, Ramirez said: Its marvelous because the Venezuelan people responded to this illegal coup attempt. Chavezs 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. Thursdays 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 didnt 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 Chavezs 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 Carmonas appointment.
Some Latin American leaders denounced Fridays 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 Chavezs return.
CARMONAS 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 countrys 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 weeks general strike, after Carmona decide to dissolve Congress, said confederation director Jesus Urbietta. Jesse Chacon, president of Venezuelas telecommunications agency, said TV stations conduct last week will be investigated. Chacon condemned stations that failed to cover protests against Chavezs 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.
© 2002 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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.
You're right. State is packed with commies.
Yes, I now what you're saying. I can't get my teeth into it yet either. Too many strange things happened behind the scene which hasn't come out yet.
He's lying through his teeth about forgiving and moving on. This is for international consumption.
--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.
Air power does not float in the air forever like some kind of impervious Zeppelin. An air force is only as good as its ground crew and air bases. The USA can bomb others with impunity because we have air bases all over the world and can fly and bomb anywhere thanks to air-to-air refueling. And that's not taking into account the Navy's aircraft carriers.
The Venezuelan Air Force's F-16s won't be that effective if Venezuelan Army tanks roll over their air bases. Even F-16s have to land to refuel and rearm! But we don't have much info on what is really going on; probably neither side wants to start shooting yet.
Hopefully, this all will get ol' Fidel on the terrorist list and bombing of Havana can start soon. If we are in an all out war on tyrants, Castro & Chavez definitely make the list.
Basically, I think the bottom line is all these high level dudes realise the gravy train cash money on the side might be over if they don't play ball, and I bet a variety of "things" got to them to play ball again. There's been so many folks wasted there the past few days. Suppose a lot of the generals had second cousins wasted, stuff like that? Close enough to notice, far enough away to make it look "random".
Besides that I just don't know, the "situation is fluid" is the phrase.
chavez is no CINO, he's the real thing.
He and his amigos can do a lot of damage in 20 years.
Remember, unlike cuba he has oil, lots of it
I also would like to know what's up with cuba right now, any of what they call "mobilization" going on, stuff like that. Haven't heard a peep either way on that yet.
The other stuff I'll pass on replying about, some of this and some of that I agree with, some I don't, and I got some differing opinions on the gestalt.
One thing I will say, banning is one thing, banning with no notice is entirely a different thing, and complete disappearing someones work that goes back years? Vindictive, obnoxious, juvenile, and petty. That's the politest thing I'll say about that. My "respect" and "trust" has dropped 18 notches with this latest series of purges. I don't know exactly who(m) did it, so I'll direct that to whichever person or persons did it. They know who they are.
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