Thousands of Venezuelans are putting themselves on the line again in massive protests against efforts by Hugo Chavez to consolidate all political power. Chavez, probably just ahead of John Kerry and Terry McAuliffe, blames George W. Bush for his troubles.
Several hundred thousand opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez marched in Caracas on Saturday in a show of strength aimed at keeping alive their fight for a referendum to oust the leftist leader. The huge march, the largest by the opposition this year, came after a week of violent clashes in the capital and other cities between troops and pro-referendum protesters in which at least eight people were killed.Posted by Alan at March 6, 2004 03:42 PMU.S. President George W. Bush said Washington would work with the Organization of American States "to help ensure the integrity" of the referendum process, but he did not elaborate. His remarks to a news conference at his Texas ranch came a day after the U.S. State Department warned Americans to avoid all demonstrations and use "extreme caution" when traveling in Venezuela.
The demonstrators in Caracas waved national flags as they jammed avenues of the capital, and they carried banners reading: "We want votes, not bullets" and "Down with dictatorship." They denounced what they said were killings and human rights abuses committed by troops in the recent protests. A minute's silence was observed for the dead.
Troops backed by armored vehicles sealed off the presidential palace and the National Electoral Council, the country's election authority. But the march was peaceful.
An unrepentant Chavez summoned foreign ambassadors on Friday to defend the use of force. He called the protesters "terrorists" trying to overthrow him with U.S. help.