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Jimmy Carter Joins Venezuelan Peace Bid
Reuters ^ | January 20, 2003 | Patrick Markey

Posted on 01/20/2003 10:19:32 AM PST by Dog Gone

By Patrick Markey

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Nobel Peace Prize winner Jimmy Carter tried on Monday to salvage faltering peace talks between Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and foes staging a seven-week-old strike to bring down the leftist leader.

Former U.S. president Carter, on his second visit to Caracas in less than a year, planned to hold meetings with Chavez and the opposition, who have been locked in a political standoff since April when the Venezuelan leader survived a short-lived coup.

"There is always hope for a resolution and I hope that will be soon," Carter told reporters as he arrived in Caracas to meet with Organization of American States head Cesar Gaviria, who brokered the peace talks.

Carter, who carries out international peace work through his Atlanta-based Carter Center, has been in Venezuela for about a week on a fishing trip.

Negotiations between Chavez and his foes were thrown into doubt at the weekend after the populist leader threatened to quit the talks even as the international community stepped up support for OAS mediation.

The talks have been stalled over the timing of elections and how to end the opposition strike that has cut oil output and severely disrupted fuel and food supplies in the world's fifth largest petroleum exporter.

Chavez, who was elected in 1998 six years after leading a botched coup, has dismissed his foes as "fascist terrorists" plotting to overthrow him. But his critics, who say Chavez has wielded power like a corrupt, inept dictator, have vowed to keep up the strike until he steps down. Chavez rejects their calls for immediate elections.

The strike deadlock has raised international concern over global oil supplies at a time when energy markets are already jittery over a possible U.S.-led war against Iraq. Venezuela usually supplies about one sixth of U.S. oil imports.

Oil prices crept higher Monday after Washington said time was running out for Baghdad to prove its compliance with United Nations disarmament resolutions. Benchmark Brent crude oil prices were up 21 cents at $30.57 a barrel. U.S. crude oil prices closed Friday at a fresh two-year high of $34 a barrel.

OVERSEAS FRIENDS

Oil supply fears have intensified diplomatic efforts to end the Venezuelan crisis. The United States, Brazil and other governments have agreed to form a group of six nations to lend weight to mediation efforts by OAS chief Gaviria.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan plans to send an envoy to Venezuela to take part in the initiative, which also includes Spain, Portugal, Chile and Mexico.

But Chavez cast doubt on the plan by threatening to pull out of OAS talks and insisting that other countries, such as Russia, Cuba and France, also be included.

Hoping to build pressure on Chavez, opposition leaders are planning to hold a nonbinding referendum on his rule on Feb. 2. The Supreme Court has yet to decide on the legality of that poll. Chavez insists a binding referendum can only be held after Aug. 19, halfway through his current term.

The Venezuelan leader said on Sunday he was restarting the strike-bound oil industry, which accounts for about half of the government's revenues. He has fired 2,000 employees from state oil firm PDVSA and ordered troops to take control of production installations and refineries.

"We are winning the oil war," Chavez said.

But rebel oil executives said production was still at about only 650,000 barrels per day -- about half of the government estimates. Venezuela produced about 3 million barrels per day before the strike in November.

The president has also ordered troops to raid factories, banks and schools joining the strike, as well as food and drink manufacturers he accuses of hoarding supplies. National Guard troops sparked opposition outrage and international concern on Friday after they broke into a local bottling affiliate of Cola-Cola Co. to take away crates of drinks.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: latinamericalist
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1 posted on 01/20/2003 10:19:32 AM PST by Dog Gone
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To: Dog Gone
I'm not sure what Jimmy can accomplish here. We already gave away the Panama Canal and the Venezuelans don't need oil, and those are the only poker chips that Jimmy is accustomed to losing at diplomatic poker games...
2 posted on 01/20/2003 10:21:52 AM PST by dirtboy
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To: Dog Gone
Why do we always find Jimmah Carter involved with left wing dictators? The people want Chavez gone, but Jimmah knows better now, don't he?
3 posted on 01/20/2003 10:22:48 AM PST by exit82
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To: Dog Gone
"Carter, who carries out international peace work through his Atlanta-based Carter Center, has been in Venezuela for about a week on a fishing trip."

The country is on the brink of civil war, and Carter is there on a fishing trip?

4 posted on 01/20/2003 10:23:09 AM PST by RepublicanHippy
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To: Dog Gone
"Carter, who carries out international peace work through his Atlanta-based Carter Center, has been in Venezuela for about a week on a fishing trip."

Let's hope that Jimmy is avoiding those nasty attack rabbits.
5 posted on 01/20/2003 10:23:17 AM PST by Chi-townChief
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To: dirtboy
"I'm not sure what Jimmy can accomplish here"

Moral support for his buddy, Castro-loving Chavez?
6 posted on 01/20/2003 10:24:49 AM PST by RepublicanHippy
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To: Chi-townChief
LOL! Beat me to the punch.

"Those killer rabbits are dynamite!"
-- Monty Python

7 posted on 01/20/2003 10:25:25 AM PST by quark
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To: dirtboy
I don't see any mention of who invited Jimmy, so I'm assuming he invited himself.

This guy needs to get off the world stage. He screws up everything he touches.

8 posted on 01/20/2003 10:26:49 AM PST by Dog Gone
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To: Dog Gone
It worked out GREAT in Korea didn't it? Major catastrophe will overwhelm Venezuela any day now with Jimmah on the job...
9 posted on 01/20/2003 10:27:27 AM PST by LSUfan
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To: exit82
Jiminy Peanut never met a Marxist-Leninist tyrant he didn't like. He is always there when leftist despots need help.
10 posted on 01/20/2003 10:29:41 AM PST by AF68
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To: exit82
I'm sure Jimmah will work out a deal where the Venezulean people give up their freedoms and property for a more lenient beatings and tortures by Chavez's henchmen.
11 posted on 01/20/2003 10:30:49 AM PST by KC_Conspirator
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To: Dog Gone
Fantasy Jeopardy:

Contestant: I'll take FAILED US PRESIDENTS for $1,000, Alex:

Answer: The US President known for the misery index and US hostages in Iran who be counted on to show up in other countries and offer his "expertise".

Question: Who is Jimmy Carter?

12 posted on 01/20/2003 10:31:10 AM PST by KeyBored
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To: *Latin_America_List; Cincinatus' Wife
http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list
13 posted on 01/20/2003 10:37:19 AM PST by Free the USA (Stooge for the Rich)
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To: madfly
fyi
14 posted on 01/20/2003 10:37:39 AM PST by Free the USA (Stooge for the Rich)
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To: Dog Gone
...............THE ENEMY IS WITHIN..............

And they happen to be x-presidents Carter/Clinton

15 posted on 01/20/2003 10:53:33 AM PST by Digger
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To: Dog Gone
Why does the term "useful idiot", come to mind when I think of Jimmy Carter?
16 posted on 01/20/2003 11:00:55 AM PST by gitmogrunt
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To: Dog Gone
Advice druing an economic crisis from Good ol 21% Jimmy is like getting family counseling from Barney Frank, or fashion tips from Maxine Waters, or legal advice from Jim Trafficant or.....(you get the idea).
17 posted on 01/20/2003 11:03:04 AM PST by Blue Screen of Death
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To: gitmogrunt
Try useless idiot
18 posted on 01/20/2003 11:03:51 AM PST by Zebra
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To: exit82
Carter is watching his dream of world communism disappear daily. This must be really hard on him to watch another dictator fall without damaging the US dominance in the world. I figure he is going down to Venezuela to help Chavez commit hara-kiri after failing the World Communist Cabal. Chavez the bad samurai is rewarded by Jimmy the Mafioso Carter, the kiss of death.
19 posted on 01/20/2003 11:17:27 AM PST by Porterville
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To: RepublicanHippy
"The country is on the brink of civil war, and Carter is there on a fishing trip?"

When you're angling for another Nobel peace prize, you go where the fish are...

20 posted on 01/20/2003 11:18:33 AM PST by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: IGNORANCE ON PARADE.)
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