President Chavez announces planned coup has been headed off

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Coup Said Thwarted in Venezuela
By Christopher Toothaker
Associated Press Writer
Saturday, October 5, 2002; 7:49 PM

CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez said Saturday
that his government uncovered plans for a military coup
after intelligence agents found evidence of one during a
raid.

"We, in recent hours, have avoided a coup. I'm sure of this,
but we have to remain alert," said Chavez told supporters in
Caracas.

He said the coup was planned for Sunday. Chavez, a leftist
former paratrooper who was elected in 1998, was briefly
ousted by dissident generals in mid-April.

His statements came after agents from the Military
Intelligence Directorate raided the home of former Foreign
Minister Enrique Tejera Paris, who was suspected of aiding
the dissident generals.

Chavez said agents found videos, lists with telephone
numbers and a large map of strategic areas in Caracas titled
"The Final Solution" in Tejera's home.

Tejera was not placed under arrest and his lawyer, Luis
Valdivieso, said agents violated his client's rights by
raiding his home without a warrant.

Valdivieso told Globovision television that his client would
cooperate with authorities "to dispel the accusations
against him" and accused agents of planting the map.

Chavez also said Tejera had drafted a decree to dissolve the
Constitution once he assumed the presidency.

The raid comes as the government investigates dozens of
military officers, and several civilians, who allegedly
played a role in the April 11 coup that briefly ousted
Chavez. Loyal officers returned Chavez to power two days
later.

© 2002 The Associated Press


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