Tuesday
January 14, 2003
News Content  
TehranTimes Navigation
NEWS
 Politics
 Domestic
 International
 Social
 Sports
 Science
 Weather
 Economy
 Culture
 Religion
 Feature
 Other News
 
VIEWS
 Opinion
 Perspectives
 Events
 
 SPECIAL
 Learning
 It's Worth  Knowing
 Thought
 Prayer
 Today in History
 Women
 Children
 
Exchange
IRIB TV
IRIB Radio

 

Dozens Hit by Tear Gas as Venezuelan Troops Disperse Protest March


CARACAS -- Dozens of people suffered from tear gas inhalation and a photographer was lightly wounded Sunday as Venezuelan troops dispersed government foes who marched to a heavily guarded military complex here.

The protest further stoked tension as a crippling strike, aimed at forcing Chavez from office, headed into a seventh week.

Troops repeatedly fired tear gas at thousands of protesters who tried to break through a security cordon blocking access to the huge Fort Tiuna military installations.

A Venezuelan photographer was lightly wounded in the leg by rubber bullets, and officials said 35 people were treated for tear gas inhalation.

The incidents occurred at the same spot where a similar protest on January 3 ended in clashes between supporters and foes of President Hugo Chavez in which two people were shot dead and 18 more were wounded, AFP reported.

Military troops in full riot gear and armored personnel carriers blocked access to Fort Tiuna, which houses the Defense Ministry, a tank unit and military training grounds.

Several women hurled their panties at the military blockade.

Soldiers also kept a group of Chavez supporters at bay.

"Chavez will not be defeated," said Abdon Ruiz, 48, one of the pro-Chavez crowd, who describes himself as a long-time revolutionary.

"When conditions are right we will take up arms to defend him," said Ruiz, a hardline pro-government vigilante leader.

In the anti-government camp, computer engineer Gustavo Lopez, 56 insisted the opposition would not be intimidated.

"We are not scared," said Lopez, who held up a banner showing Chavez lovingly dreaming of his Cuban counterpart Fidel Castro. Waving Venezuelan flags and blowing whistles, thousands of protesters, many wearing T-shirts in the Venezuelan colors, underlined their demand that Chavez step down with chants of "go away" and "the government has already fallen."

The march was called to remember the victims of April 11, when 19 people were shot dead during clashes that culminated in the ouster of the president, who triumphantly returned to office 47 hours later.

It also aimed at showing support for a planned February 2 referendum on the elected leftist-populist president's mandate.

Chavez, whose term of office ends in 2006, has said he would ignore the outcome of the ballot, and his government has yet to release funds to finance it.

With financing uncertain, electoral authorities have raised the possibility the referendum could be postponed.

The opposition, led by the main labor and employer's federations as well as a coalition of political parties, has indicated it would step up its protests if the referendum is delayed.

Opposition leaders already have called for non-payment of taxes, to strengthen the open-ended strike that has crippled crude output and throttled oil exports.

Chavez, for his part, again slammed the strike leaders in his hours-long weekly show aired on state TV, and threatened to withdraw broadcasting licenses from the four television stations that openly back the protest.

"If they insist on using their licenses to issue war propaganda, I will have to revoke them," Chavez said in his "Hello President" show.

The turmoil has caused deep concern outside Venezuela, notably in the United States, which is preparing for possible war against Iraq.

Hoping to stop spiraling oil prices, OPEC energy ministers Sunday agreed to increase oil output by 1.5 million barrels per day to make up a shortfall in exports from Venezuela.



Home Page  |   Advertise  |   Archives  |   Contact Us  |   Feedback  |   Advanced Search
 
Send your questions and comments to: webmaster@tehrantimes.com