Posted on 04/16/2002 2:59:42 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador - Salvadoran legislators are criticizing President Francisco Flores' government for recognizing a coup attempt in Venezuela that briefly deposed President Hugo Chavez.
Lawmakers also warned that El Salvador could suffer reprisals from Venezuela regarding oil sales to the country as a result of its support for the interim Venezuelan government led by businessman Pedro Carmona and backed by key military officials.
Shortly after a group of military officers removed Chavez from the presidential palace last Friday, Flores declared in a statement that the provisional government had El Salvador's "vote of confidence."
Two days later, the coup leaders were themselves overthrown and put in detention.
In the following days, Flores' comment generated a stream of criticism from lawmakers, who felt he should not have rushed to support the coup attempt.
"Not only is it a shame for our country, but it is also a grave error," legislator Manuel Melgar, of a party of former leftist rebels, was quoted as saying in La Prensa newspaper on Tuesday.
Deputy Foreign Minister Hector Dada denied late Monday that Flores had backed the coup leaders, saying that El Salvador "did not declare legitimate or illegitimate any government. El Salvador does not have that power, or the desire to do that."
Dada added that El Salvador only wants "the people of Venezuela to walk the road of democracy and institutional order and to respect liberties."
The deputy foreign minister also noted that El Salvador maintained its embassy in Caracas as usual throughout the political turmoil that rocked Venezuela's executive branch.
Prominent members of the right-wing National Conciliation Party said that Venezuela, El Salvador's principal oil supplier, could seek retribution for Flores' seeming support for the coup attempt by disrupting the flow of oil here.
"Hopefully, Venezuela will not take reprisals against an entire people because of the mistake of one person," retired army Col. Jose Almendariz said.
Also Tuesday in Mexico, Foreign Relations Secretary Jorge Castaneda reiterated his country's support for Venezuela's "democratic rule of law."
"We aren't defending one or the other," he said, referring to the country's recent power struggle.
Mexican President Vicente Fox refused to recognize Venezuela's interim government, and has maintained diplomatic ties with Chavez's government.
His criticisms against the Church grew harsher after 80,000 protesters marched last Wednesday in Caracas in opposition to his government. This was the largest protest against the 3-year-old Chávez government. As a result, the president has sped up the militarization of his regime with the appointment of Ramón Rodríguez Chacín as Interior Minister. Chacín was a navy captain who took part in the failed 1992 coup organized by Chávez himself.
The appointment followed soon after the suspension of Vice President Adina Bastidas, who was replaced by Diosdado Cabello, a retired colonel who also took part in the failed coup against democracy. Four other military men of the unsuccessful coup are now in the Cabinet. At least 50 soldiers occupy midlevel posts in government, the diplomatic corps and state-run enterprises. ***
January 2002- Opposition lawmakers attacked by supporters of Venezuela's President Chavez****CARACAS, Venezuela -- Dozens of supporters of President Hugo Chavez attacked opposition lawmakers trying to leaving Venezuela's legislature following a marathon session late Saturday. ….Supporters of the president, known as "chavistas," attacked the legislators -- shoving, hitting and in some cases throwing rocks -- after a nine-hour session that ended with a Chavez ally's re-election as president of the National Assembly. Chavez called the violence a "warning" to the opposition "and its absurd and evil intention" of trying to destabilize his government. He threatened to deploy supporters on "every street corner" to "defend the revolution," as the leftist leader refers to his policies.***
February 2002 - Chavez Tries Charm to Disarm Critics (Russian and Cuban security advisers in Venezuela) ***The official said he was also concerned at the growing role of Russian and Cuban security advisers in Venezuela. Egui Bastidas said he had experienced "the direct participation and the attempts at indoctrination by the Russian and Cuban intelligence services, who have direct and virtually unlimited access within the Helicoide (DISIP's headquarters building)." The official's lawyer, former DISIP Secretary-General Joaquin Chaffardet, said around 100 members of the Cuban intelligence services are currently operating in Venezuela. The new allegations would, if proven, further strain the already difficult relationship between the United States and Venezuela.***
March 2002- Chavez's image taken off altars *** Lately, Chavez declared himself a member of a charismatic congregation, thus allegedly belonging to his country's fastest-growing branch of Christianity. But then he angered the country's National Catholic Bishops Conference by communing at a Mass organized by a priest of pro-Communist leanings.***
April 2002 Chavistas: Venezuelan street toughs "Comandante" Lina Ron, who considers herself a modern version of "Tania," a woman who fought alongside Cuban revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, says she is a willing martyr for Chavez's cause. She was arrested after leading a violent pro-Chavez counter-protest against demonstrating university students………. In recent months, the 42-year-old Ron has organized and led street marches - called "countermarches" here - to stop or intimidate demonstrations by civilians and a disorganized opposition to Chavez.
Two December marches to Miraflores, the presidential palace, were stopped by Ron's "countermarches." A February march to the National Assembly to commemorate Venezuelan democracy was similarly met - and diverted - by a countermarch. Ron and her followers burned a U.S. flag in Caracas' central Plaza Bolivar just after the September terrorist attacks in the United States. The anti-Washington demonstration appalled many Venezuelans.
More recently, Ron's followers threatened journalists at El Nacional newspaper in Caracas. Chavez has called Ron a political prisoner. "We salute Lina Ron, a female soldier who deserves the respect of all Venezuelans," he said recently.*** (More at LINK)
FARC: A Terrorist Regime waiting in the Wings-- Hugo Chavez's involvement.
MORE: Hugo Chavez - Venezuela
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