Posted on 04/11/2002 7:00:16 PM PDT by HAL9000
Ten officers of high row rebel against president Chavez
Friday April 12 2002 - 0h15 GMT
CARACAS, 11 avr (AFP) - a group of ten officers of high row rebelled against the authority of the president of Venezuela Hugo Chavez and military staff, requiring their peaceful departure of the capacity, in an official statement diffused Thursday by the chains of Venevision television.
" We decided to address to us to the people vénézuélien to disavow the current mode of the government and the authority of Hugo Chavez Frías, and military staff ", declared these Generals of active Army, marine, national guard and admirals of the navy, according to the text read by a journalist of Venevision.
" We cannot accept a tyrant with the presidency. Its maintenance in the function threatens the country of disintegration ", added these officers, passed in clandestinity whereas Venezuela was agitated Thursday by violent demonstrations, having made at least nine died and 48 wounded, at the third day of a general strike against Mr. Chavez.
They condemn president Chavez and his government " of going against the principles and to the democratic guarantees " and " to scorn the humans right of Vénézuéliens ".
**time-out** this new rebellion military make following that in February last of five other officer which have require the resignation of head of State, in it show to be " undemocratic ".
Wednesday, a brigadier general of the Army, Nestor Gonzalez, had also given an opinion against Hugo Chavez. Then a major general of the national guard, Rafael Damiani, had shown the president to have ordered to the soldiers to disperse by the force a demonstration of his opponents being held then in Caracas.
The new rebellious officers estimate that "éviter to pour more blood and the destruction " of the country " pass by the peaceful departure of the president of the Republic and the change of the military staff ".
Mr. Chavez, controlling as a head of the armed forces, " betrayed the confidence of his people ", underlines this official statement of the group of officers carried out by the vice-admiral Hector Ramirez Perez, head of the éta-major of the navy.
According to Venevision, this proclamation was also subscribed by the admirals Daniel Gomit Urdaneta and Francisco Noriega, like by the Generals Marcos Ferreira, Oscar Mark and Lozada Oscar of the national guard; Henry Lugo Pena and Vidal Rigoberto Martinez of the Army; Plinio Rodriguez and Pedro Pereira of the air force.
Before the incidents violent one of Thursday, the staff complete vénézuélien had affirmed his support for the democratic institutions, in a message with the nation read by the general inspector of the armed forces, the General as a head Lucas Rincon, officer of higher row in load of troops within the forces armed with the country.
Hugo Chavez in meeting with the presidential palate with the military staff
Friday April 12 2002 - 1h46 GMT
CARACAS, 11 avr (AFP) - the president vénézuélien Hugo Chavez was in meeting with the presidential palate of Miraflores in Caracas with the military staff and several ministers Thursday evening with local 21H30 (01H30 GMT), announced the Minister for Education Aristobulo Isturiz.
" many things were told, that Chavez was held, that it was leaving the country, but Chavez is here in Miraflores ", indicated the minister to the microcomputer of the chain of State Venezolana de Television.
The private chain CMT, which had taken again its diffusion after being suspended in the afternoon by the capacity, had announced at the beginning of evening that the head of the State had left in the helicopter the capital to go to the airport of the capital, where it would have taken a plane for an unknown destination.
Soldiers surround main military base in Venezuela's capital
Caracas, Apr 11, 2002 (EFE via COMTEX) -- Battle-clad soldiers Thursday surrounded Fort Tiuna, the Venezuelan capital's main military base and site of the Defense Ministry, while tanks guarded the entrance, the media reported.
A toll plaza on the road leading into southern Caracas - which passes in front of Fort Tiuna is located - was closed, shutting down the route into the city.
According to the Internet website of El Universal, a Caracas daily, members of the National Guard (GN), a militarized police force, were preventing cars from entering or leaving the capital.
Throughout the day, the media reported rumors that groups of military officers who oppose President Hugo Chavez were meeting to organize a coup, but the military high command said the president remained in his office with their full support.
Meanwhile, downtown Caracas remained under the tight control of police and GN troops, which were trying to prevent clashes between protesters and pro-Chavez toughs, although they were not able to prevent earlier outbreaks of violence in which at least seven people died and 48 others were wounded.
Copyright (c) 2002. Agencia EFE S.A.
The head of staff of the Army joint to the rebellion
Friday April 12, 2002 - 2h02 GMT
CARACAS, 11 avr (AFP) - the head of staff of the Army of Venezuela, the General Efrain Vasquez, joined Thursday evening the rebellion of several other officers of high row and asked so that the heads of garrison give an opinion with regard to president Hugo Chavez.
"This is not a coup d'etat, it is not insubordination, it is solidarity with the people vénézuélien", declared the Vasquez General, at the time of a press conference.
"the armed forces are not for attacking the people vénézuélien there. I order all to my commanders, who are my fortress and the fatherland, to fill their duty ", has it says, in reference to the incidental violent ones which marked the demonstrations of Thursday, making at least nine died and several tens of casualties.
Addressing itself to Mr. Chavez, it declared: "I was faithful to you until the end, I was useful to you until this afternoon, but deaths today cannot be tolerated".
"They oblige to me to make this decision. Generals made your duty (...) Today all the humans right were violated, of Vénézuéliens died because of the incapacity of dialogue of the government ", it denounced.
Tanks ring palace in Venezuela
(Caracas, Venezuela-AP) -- Tanks have taken up positions outside the presidential palace in Caracas, where at least 12 people have been killed in demonstrations demanding the resignation of the Venezuelan president.
Battles with police began after more than 150-thousand people marched on the palace. Nearly 100 people have been injured.
The demonstrators want President Hugo Chavez to step down. A general strike is gripping the country.
More than 40 military officers have declared themselves in rebellion against Chavez "for violating democratic principles, guarantees and the human rights of Venezuelans.''
The strike was called over new management at the state oil monopoly -- opponents claim the appointments were based on political considerations, not merit. A work slowdown has seriously cut production in Venezuela, which is a major oil exporter.
If the seconds seem like hours, yes.
Anyone else see the hand of Otto Reich in all of this?
Totalitarian regimes are all going ballistic at once... so much for the congress poo poohing about bush's theory of "rogue states" running amouk...
Looks like ALL the crazies are feeling pretty pumped up, after one pukeface "arabfat" totally stands down the war on terror and is allowed to throw his wrench into the machinery gears... one arafat, puts the whole war on terror, on hold, and it makes every would be arafat think... "hey, that could be me."
It gives lots of hope to would be, and bona fide dictators that when they pitch a fit... AMERICA will rush in to negotiate no matter HOW heinous their acts.
I hope they overthrow this illegally elected fraud.
God save their nation.
I give up... I want my M-TV.
Thursday night 15 tanks took up positions outside the palace and Venezuela's Globovision television reported seven tanks were seen rolling out of the Fuerte Tiuna military base. There was no information about where they were headed.
A total of 41 military officers have declared themselves in rebellion against Chavez ``for violating democratic principles, guarantees and the human rights of Venezuelans.''
``The Constitution obliges us to maintain internal order and avoid more spilling of blood and the destruction of our brave people and their institutions,'' the officers said in a communique read by Navy Vice Adm. Hector Ramirez.
Chavez angrily accused the news media of inciting social unrest by exaggerating the size of a general strike this week, and ordered five private Caracas television stations shut down. The stations continued transmitting by satellite, however.
National Guard troops fired tear gas at the front ranks of stick-bearing, rock-throwing marchers to keep them about 100 yards away from the palace and from thousands of Chavez supporters. Tear gas drifted into the presidential compound.
Several shots were fired near the palace, and scuffles with police erupted in several downtown locations. Witnesses said snipers belonging to pro-Chavez street groups fired on crowds from rooftops. Caracas Fire Department Cmdr. Rodolfo Briceno said that snipers fired on ambulance crews as they tried to evacuate the wounded near the palace.
Greater Caracas Mayor Alfredo Pena, accused government snipers of firing on crowds, especially upon opposition demonstrators. ``Chavez has shown his true face,'' Pena claimed.
Vargas Hospital director Manuel Rojas said at least 12 people were killed and 96 wounded.
``This is state terrorism. The international community must condemn these killings. This government is criminal,'' said Ramon Escobar Salon, a former attorney general.
Jorge Tortoza, 45, a photographer with Diario 2001 newspaper, was shot in the face by a man in civilian clothing while he was covering the protest, said reporter Angel Arraez. Tortoza was in critical condition at Vargas hospital.
Many protesters reassembled at a rally late Thursday in eastern Caracas to demand that the armed forces intervene and oust Chavez. Luis Miquilena, Chavez's longtime mentor and a powerful interior minister until earlier this year, denounced the repression.
Gen. Carlos Alfonso Martinez, inspector general of the National Guard, condemned the armed pro-Chavez groups, known as ``Bolivarian Circles,'' for firing on civilians.
The violence erupted on the third day of a general strike called to support oil executives who want Chavez to sack new management at the state oil monopoly Petroleos de Venezuela, or PDVSA. The executives are conducting a work slowdown that has seriously cut production and exports in Venezuela, the No. 3 oil supplier to the United States and the No. 4 oil exporter in the world.
PDVSA management charged the board appointments were based on political considerations and not merit. After six weeks of protests, Chavez fired seven more executives Sunday and sent 12 others into early retirement.
The 950,000-barrel-per-day Paraguana refinery, one of the world's largest, ran at less than 50 percent capacity, and loading of tankers proceeded slowly, with at least 20 vessels anchored at main ports. The 130,000-barrel-per-day El Palito refinery will not reach full capacity until the weekend.
Industry officials said gasoline supplies to major Venezuelan cities could be threatened if the slowdown continues.
The International Energy Agency warned that Venezuela's crisis and political uncertainties in the Middle East could upset the oil market. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has said it has no plans to pump more oil to replace supplies being withheld by Iraq to protest Israel's offensive against Palestinians.
The general strike was called Tuesday by the 1 million-member Venezuelan Workers Confederation, or CTV, and Fedecamaras, Venezuela's largest business group. On Thursday, the groups demanded that Chavez resign.
``There is no accommodation possible. What we're seeking is Chavez's resignation,'' said Gregorio Rojas, Fedecamaras' treasurer.
He said the opposition was trying to persuade the armed forces to force Chavez to step down and establish a ``transition government'' that would call new elections.
In a highly unusual announcement, Venezuela's military high command went on national television to deny persistent rumors, spawned by this week's labor unrest, that Chavez was in military custody or had been asked by the army to resign.
Chavez has not been seen in public since a general strike began earlier this week. Strike leaders have openly appealed to the armed forces to join them in their campaign to oust the president, and two lower-ranking generals rebelled on Wednesday.
``The president is in his offices. ... I deny all rumors about the alleged resignation of the high command,'' said the armed forces commander in chief, Gen. Lucas Rincon. He was flanked by the military high command.
Rincon urged Venezuelans to ``maintain calm'' and to ``dialogue for the well-being of the nation.''
Defense Minister Jose Vicente Rangel insisted the military fully backs Chavez, a former army officer who staged a failed coup in 1992. The United States has said it opposes any coup against Chavez, a leftist who was democratically elected in 1998 and whose term ends in 2006.
Rojas said strike organizers responded to a government offer to meet with dissenting oil executives Thursday by first demanding that Chavez personally attend. Calls for Chavez's ouster followed, and talks were postponed.
A PDVSA source said that dissident staff stepped up demands and now want a public apology from Chavez and the resignations of the company board, Oil Minister Alvaro Silva and Deputy Minister Bernardo Alvarez.
Chavez was last seen in public Tuesday, when he condemned the strike as a brazen attempt to oust him.
Army Cmdr. Gen. Efrain Vasquez Velasco ordered all his officers to join him in rebellion against Chavez.
``We ask the Venezuelan people's forgiveness for today's events,'' he said. ``Mr. President, I was loyal to the end, but today's deaths cannot be tolerated.'' More than 40 other high officers joined the rebellion, including Gen. Luis Alberto Camacho Kairuz, vice minister for citizen security.
There were news reports Chavez was preparing to leave the country, and three executive jets were seen preparing for takeoff at La Carlota military airbase, which usually closes after dark. Televised reports that Chavez and his family were leaving could not be confirmed. A Chavez spokeswoman denied the reports, saying the president was meeting with officials at the palace.
Small tanks guarded the palace as caravans of armored troop vehicles patrolled Caracas streets and highways
Mr. Chavez "is still and for always" with the presidential palate (minister presidency)
Friday April 12, 2002 - 2h30 GMT
CARACAS, 11 avr (AFP) - the president vénézuélien Hugo Chavez "is still and for always with the presidential palate" of Miraflores in Caracas, and "the conspiracy of today fell through", declared with the AFP the Minister for the Secretariat to the presidency, Rafael Vargas, with 22H05 local (02H05 GMT).
In a maintenance by telephone on his portable, the minister ensured that "the staff of the four weapons, complete present at the palate of Miraflores, and all the officers who have a command support the head of the State".
Questioned on the rebellion Thursday of the commander of the Army, the General Efrain Vasquez, Mr. Vargas stressed that this one, which is not the head of the staff of this weapon, "did not have any command on the troop".
In connection with the bloody incidents of Thursday between demonstrators pro and anti-Chavez, who made at least nine died and several tens of casualties, the minister showed the police officers depending on the mayor of Large Caracas, Alfredo Pena (opposition), and other mayors of the district of the capital, to "avoir assassinated "the victims.
"They all were stopped, will be judged, and we will present them at television", it continued.
Foreign policy is a LOT more interesting since Bush was inaugurated!
Flash: ARMED FORCES IN CONTROL, CHAVEZ GOVERNMENT OUT: VENEZUELAN GENERAL
Apr 12, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- nnnn
Copyright 2002 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.