Venezuela's Chavez Vacating Presidential Palace-Puts brother in charge of land and agriculture

dailynews.yahoo.com ^ | January 10, 2002 | Reuters

[Cincinatus' Wife]

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - The hearts of President Hugo Chavez's numerous and vociferous critics must have leapt as he announced his departure from the historic Miraflores presidential palace.

But the outspoken former-paratrooper, who is due to serve as president of the world's No. 4 oil exporter until 2007, quickly frustrated his opponents by clarifying he was leaving the 19th century mansion so a university could be set up there.

``I am going from Miraflores,'' said the 47-year-old president in a speech late on Wednesday, adding ``I leave it to the children, for the birth of a Popular Bolivarian University.''

Chavez, who has renamed his South American country the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in honor of 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar, announced the surprise move at the swearing in of a new higher education minister.

``I am sure my squalid opponents were elated when I said I was leaving Miraflores,'' chuckled the leftist leader, whose three-year-old ``revolution'' has deepened class divisions in his dilapidated but oil-rich republic.

The palace, which was built by former dictator Joaquin Crespo and bought by the government in 1911, ``has fulfilled its mission,'' Chavez said.

Standing at the center of Caracas' long valley, which is home to some 5 million inhabitants, the Miraflores palace is flanked by a huge army barracks.

``Later on I will tell you where I am going to move,'' Chavez said.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez brandishes a large pair of plyers painted in the national colors of the country which he said he would use to tighten the screws of his opponents with, during a ceremony swearing-in Revolutionary Command Groups in Caracas January 10, 2001. Chavez urged his supporters to overthrow the opposition-controled media which he said was a threat to his three-year-old revolution. REUTERS/Kimberly White

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, left, swears in his brother Adan Chavez as head of National Institute of Land and Agricultural Development at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Jan 9, 2002. (AP Photo/Juan Carlos Solorzano, Miraflores)

Chavez's road to dictatorship

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!