[A-List] Venezuela: pressure on Chavez

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

The Financial Times is making it absolutely clear about which line it is
taking as regards Latin America. As with Argentina and Brazil, its approach
to Venezuela is thoroughly imperialist.


Pressure for referendum on Chávez rule grows
By Andy Webb-Vidal in Caracas
Financial Times: November 5 2002

Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez faced growing pressure on Monday to bow to
an early ballot on whether he should stay in office, as tens of thousands of
civilian opponents marched through Caracas to submit a petition to hold a
referendum on his rule.

Opposition groups, loosely allied under the so-called "Democratic
Co-ordinator", delivered 2.2m signatures to the electoral authorities, more
than the 1.2m legally required to trigger a non-binding referendum.

Tensions ran high in central Caracas as National Guard troops used tear gas
to disperse protesting supporters of Mr Chávez who had gathered close to the
offices of the electoral authorities before the march reached its
destination.

Mr Chávez said on Sunday that early presidential elections could take place
only if the opposition managed to reform the constitution through a vote in
the national assembly, where his party retains a slim majority.

Mr Chávez, who was elected in 1998 and then re-elected for a six-year period
in mid-2000, has repeatedly insisted that a separate mid-term - and
binding - recall referendum on his mandate cannot be held before August next
year at the earliest.

But opposition leaders say Venezuela has become ungovernable under the
"autocratic and inept" left-leaning rule of Mr Chávez, and that the country
cannot wait until August next year. The economy of the world's fifth-largest
oil exporter is forecast to contract by 5 to 7 per cent this year, despite
relatively high oil prices.

The electoral authorities have 30 days - until December 4 - in which to
validate the petition, and therefore determine a date for a ballot within
the following 90 days.

Opposition leaders warned on Monday that if the authorities did not permit a
poll they were ready to take further measures. Carlos Fernández, head of
Fedecamaras, the country's largest business federation, said its members
would call a general and indefinite strike in protest. The Confederation of
Venezuelan Workers, the biggest labour union, said it would back such a
strike.

Meanwhile pressure on Mr Chávez appeared to build within the military.
General Enrique Medina Gómez, leader of the group of senior officers that
two weeks ago declared themselves in "legitimate civil disobedience", warned
that Venezuela's political crisis was so deep that more immediate solutions
were necessary.

Gen Medina, who is seen as retaining a strong following within the armed
forces, said Mr Chávez, whom he accused of repeatedly violating the
constitution, should resign immediately. He warned that Mr Chávez would
attempt to avoid a ballot at all costs.

A move to block a non-binding poll would further tarnish Mr Chávez's already
questionable democratic credentials and simultaneously reinforce those of
the opposition, including the military, diplomats said.

Expectations were also growing on Monday over the position which would be
taken by César Gaviria, secretary-general of the Organisation of American
States (OAS), who was due to arrive in Caracas in the evening.