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 News from Around the Americas | April 2006 
Venezuela Roasts US for Coup
 Prensa Latina
| | A folklore dance group performs in front of a picture of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during the commemoration of the 2002 failed-coup against him in Caracas April 11, 2006. Supporters of Chavez gather near presidential palace during the fourth anniversary of a 2002 coup during which Chavez was ousted for 48 hours before loyal troops and supporters helped restore him to power. (Reuters/Jorge Silva) |
Caracas - Venezuela recalled the fourth anniversary of a dictatorship installed through a coup that briefly withdrew President Hugo Chavez on April 11, 2002, assuring it was an action secretly concocted by the US.
"The failure of that coup is the first defeat of 100 years of US-spearheaded coups," asserted Chavez in a radio program on the events that ousted him for 47 hours.
The military coup fell short given the joint response of people and army members loyal to the law, the Constitution and the President of the Republic, who was imprisoned in a military facility after he refused to resign.
In a phone call to the Dialogo Abierto radio program, the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution said one of the causes of the coup´s failure was "those involved in the coup underestimated Venezuelans and somehow misjudged us."
Chavez denied the rumor that bishop Baltazar Porras travelled to the facility where he was held to save his life.
"He (Porras) has his own version of events, saying he was there to save me. That is a lie, he backed what they were doing, he supported it and agreed on that, and never spoke up for my life," he noted.
According to him, another key element to disprove the version that he had resigned, was his phone call with his daughter Maria, who told world media about the truth, through the Cuban TV network.
The president said the "order (to kill him) came from Washington" and was echoed by coup leader Pedro Carmona, who suggested making it look like an accident.
Chavez´ remarks followed those by Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel, who urged Venezuelans to be alert given the US government´s ploys and provocations by Ambassador to Caracas William Brownfield.
Rangel, who unveiled a monument to honor those who died four years ago, made it clear the US will try to destroy any revolutionary process in the world. |
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