Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Thousands protest Colombian paramilitary presence in Venezuela

Posted: 17 May 2004 0712 hrs



CARACAS : Thousands of Venezuelans draped in national colors marched through the streets of Caracas to protest an alleged coup plot by suspected Colombian right-wing paramilitaries against left-wing President Hugo Chavez.

Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel claimed the United States and Colombians were involved in the conspiracy.

"This march is in response to the conspiracy mounted by the Colombian oligarchy and the North American empire, but we will defeat them," Rangel said.

Last week, 88 people described as paramilitaries were arrested in a farm outside Caracas. Rangel said 120 now have been arrested.

On Saturday, Chavez, who called for Sunday's march, claimed the plotters were going to take over a military base in Caracas to spark a coup, then storm the presidential palace to kill him.

Dario Vivas, a lawmaker from the ruling party, said Venezuela will ask the Organization of American States to issue a declaration on the matter.

Protestors waving Venezuela's red, blue and yellow flag, held signs saying "Against Yankee intervention: Bush get out of here!" and "Venezuela is to be respected."

Chavez, a former paratrooper colonel, was briefly ousted in a civilian-military coup in April 2002, and survived a lengthy general strike in late 2002 and early 2003.

Chavez's political opponents say the paramilitary plot is fiction designed as an excuse to arrest opposition leaders and thwart a possible recall referendum.

As Chavez supporters marched, the opposition announced a plan to mobilize 260,000 volunteers to oversee the validation next week of about 600,000 signatures on petitions for a recall vote on the president.

The opposition had gathered 3.4 million signatures, but the electoral commission only validated 1.9 million of them, leaving opponents short of the 2.43 million needed for a recall election.

- AFP


http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/85239/1/.html