Chavez supporters, foes clash in Caracas

[cal04]

Foes of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez clashed with his supporters on Saturday during an opposition march to demand electoral reform before parliamentary elections later this year.Six people were injured after hundreds of opponents of the populist leader marched from western Caracas to the centre of the capital, where they skirmished with Chavez sympathisers in a volley of smoke bombs, rocks, bottles and fireworks.

The street clashes were the most serious violence in months between supporters of Chavez and his opponents, who believe Venezuela's electoral board is biased and must be overhauled before National Assembly elections in December.
Emergency crews whisked wounded away on motorbikes as the two groups whipped rocks and bottles at each other in a chaotic battle in downtown Caracas streets normally packed with vendors. "A woman hit me hard in the head from behind with a stick. The metropolitan police were beside me and they did nothing," said Marisela Riera, a 50-year-old ballerina and opposition supporter, holding out her bloody hands.

Venezuela has been relatively calm since August 2004 when Chavez won a referendum on his rule after two years of political violence. But foes of the populist president claim the referendum vote was tainted by fraud and that the electoral council is stacked with Chavez supporters. Opponents say Chavez has become increasingly authoritarian in his rule of the world's No. 5 oil exporter. They say he has packed institutions like the Supreme Court and the electoral council with loyalist appointees and is driving the country towards Cuban-style communism.

"We are protesting, marching to the National Assembly to protest the fraud perpetrated by the CNE (National Electoral Council)," 54-year-old Guiseppe Santini said before the clashes halted the march blocks away from the national assembly. Chavez supporters say his "revolutionary" programs are finally using the OPEC nation's vast oil wealth to help the poor after years of neglect by previous governments.

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=6042433&cKey=1125178528000

[madeline_con]

1. This is DUH-bya backed....

I have no doubt the misadministration is right in the middle of the "opposition", supplying materiel.

[Robeson]

3. Yes, I smell shrubs Mischievous Merry Makers here.

[Gregorian]

2. Some people just don't get it.

"A woman hit me hard in the head from behind with a stick. The metropolitan police were beside me and they did nothing," said Marisela Riera, a 50-year-old ballerina and opposition supporter, holding out her bloody hands.

She was then seen driving away in her Ferrari, I suppose. Some of us saw the previous protests. Channels like LinkTV actually have news in America. And all I can say is- You're outnumbered, silly opponents of Chavez. And as America slides into a second rate financial country, proponents of conservative leaders will also be in the minority. It's just sad to see that it usually ends up in violence. Stupid humans.

[stillcool]

6. ..maybe thats where the freeps were today.....

[Judi Lynn]

14. Wow! I found her photo.

http://enoriente.com/2004/Abril/Gente_En_Oriente863.html


Ah, and here's her birthday cake!



Well, it's a good way to get her name into the paper, now that she's probably not dancing a lot any longer!

[0007]

4. junior has his spooks working overtime with the advise of the

intelligence from the "Death Squad Master" John Negroponte.

Obviously the show is in motion.

[beetbox]

5. With the Ghost of Kermit Roosevelt and Otto 4th Reich Lurking

in the background.

I'm thinkin' Iran-Mossadegh,Guatemala- Arbenz, Chile-Allende etc.

Here come the jackals

[bribri16]

7. Well, Pat, I hope you are satisfied.......n/t

[Lori Price CLG]

8. Is the Nazi Bush regime funding the 'opposition?' n/t

[TankLV]

9. You can bet on it.

It will just come out later is all.

No doubt about it that bushco money and intimidation is behind this latest episode in their attempts to overthrow another elected leader.

[Selatius]

10. Bullshit.

"Venezuela has been relatively calm since August 2004 when Chavez won a referendum on his rule after two years of political violence. But foes of the populist president claim the referendum vote was tainted by fraud and that the electoral council is stacked with Chavez supporters."

International monitors were on the ground during the entire election. Although there were some problems, ultimately it was certified as clean. Even the Carter Center believed it was clean. These guys are peddling propaganda.

[1932]

12. Not only that, the CNE ruled in the opposition's favor on almost every

point.

[daleo]

11. Fighting, violence - Pat Robertson must be thrilled.

It is like his version of the Second Coming.

[wli]

13. Rumsfeld visited to give the order n/t