Chavez's aide warns against recall issue - "I'm a mild dove next to Christ"

CARACAS -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's government said yesterday it would not allow international observers to overrule local electoral authorities on whether the leftist leader should face a recall referendum.

In a further sign that Venezuela's referendum process was running into trouble, Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel delivered the warning to Peter DeShazo, a visiting US envoy, at a time when the credibility of the country's national electoral body was increasingly under fire.

Venezuela's Chavez Says He a Dove Next to Christ [Full text]CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, describing himself as a "mild dove next to Christ," warned on Sunday he would act against opponents he accuses of trying to incite violence in a bid to topple him.

Chavez, a populist former army officer who is facing an opposition referendum challenge, said his foes were stirring up tensions with street protests in an attempt to undermine his self-styled "revolution" for the poor.

"Christ was much more radical than me. He was really radical. No, I'm a mild dove next to Christ," Chavez said in his regular Sunday broadcast before warning his opponents.

"These people want to spark violence again. If you take that path, conspirators, coup plotters and terrorists, then there is a bigger surprise waiting for you," he said. "We are obliged to neutralize those who want to take power by force."

Since he was elected in 1998, Chavez has often portrayed his foes as private media barons, wealthy elites and opposition parties bent on destabilizing his government. He has denounced several vague coup plots.

Tens of thousands of opposition supporters protested peacefully on Saturday to demand electoral officials make a fair ruling on their bid for a referendum this year. National Guard troops kept the march apart from Chavez sympathizers in the capital.

Political tensions and street clashes rattled the world's No. 5 oil exporter after Chavez survived a brief military coup in 2002 and a strike at the start of last year. The referendum campaign is the latest challenge to his five-year rule.

Opposition leaders, who say Chavez is copying the communism of his ally Cuban leader Fidel Castro, fear the president's sympathizers in the National Electoral Council will try to block their petition for a vote.

International observers are monitoring the council as officials verify whether the opposition collected the 2.4 million valid signatures needed to hold a recall poll. The council says it will rule on Feb. 29.

Chavez says he could challenge in the supreme court any decision to allow a referendum because he says the opposition bid is marred by tens of thousands of forged signatures and the names of the deceased, children and foreigners. [End]

Hugo Chavez - Venezuela

Feb 15, 2004 Opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez take part in a demonstration in defense of the collected 3.6 million signatures seeking the recall referendum against Chavez in Caracas.(AFP/File/Juan Barreto)

Venezuela's Chavez Says U.S. Backed Coup - Financing Recall***"There is no doubt: the government of Mr. George W. Bush was behind the coup," Chavez said Tuesday. "We have photos, evidence."

Chavez also accused the Bush administration of funding new attempts to oust him. He cited the case of Sumate, a Venezuelan group that organized the recall petition against him and received funds from the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy, which champions democracy efforts around the world.

The Venezuelan Workers Confederation, which led a 2003 strike that failed to topple Chavez, also has received endowment funds, Venezuela says, citing documents a lobbying group obtained from the U.S. government under the Freedom of Information Act.

Chavez told Washington to stay out of Venezuelan affairs - especially the recall effort. Venezuela's National Elections Council is determining whether the petition for a presidential recall referendum is valid.

On Monday, Peter DeShazo, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, visited the country and urged Venezuelan election authorities not to use technicalities to invalidate petitions for the recall.

But Chavez said Tuesday the real reason for DeShazo's visit was to support Venezuela's opposition. He also said DeShazo lied when he told reporters Monday that U.S. funds also have gone to support organizations allied with Chavez's government.***

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