Chavez warns against recall

2003-11-28 09:47

Caracas, Venezuela - On the eve of a petition drive to force a recall referendum on his rule, President Hugo Chavez warned that violence could erupt if opponents succeeded in driving him from office.

Once in power, opposition leaders would strip Venezuela's poor majority of benefits gained through his self-described "revolution" against social injustice, Chavez told a news conference on Thursday. He predicted poor Venezuelans would rebel if a new government dismantled initiatives like a programme to bring Cuban doctors to Caracas slums.

"It's one of the things that would happen," Chavez said when asked if violence would erupt if he lost a recall vote.

Opponents have until Monday to collect more than 2.4 million signatures, or 20 percent of the electorate, to force a referendum on whether Chavez should step down. Any vote would take place next year. Venezuela has about 12 million registered voters.

The recall effort comes after opponents failed to topple Chavez in a 2002 coup and a general strike earlier this year that virtually paralysed oil production in one of the world's top crude exporters. The Organisation of American States supports the possible recall as a means of ensuring stability in nation deeply torn over Chavez's leftist policies.

Opponents believe Chavez is dragging Venezuela toward a socialist regime modelled after Cuba, while supporters consider him a beacon of hope for the poor.

Rowdy rally

A peaceful signature drive to recall 37 opposition lawmakers last weekend raised hopes that Venezuela was heading toward a peaceful resolution to its political crisis. Hundreds of Chavez supporters held a rowdy rally on Thursday to turn in the signatures to the National Elections Council.

The results of both signature drives won't be known for weeks.

For the third straight day, Chavez threatened to use his authority as president to seize the airwaves if opposition-aligned television stations refused to broadcast pro-government political ads or promote violence during the petition drive.

"If we have to use arms, we'll use them," he said.

Chavez said he would welcome the chance to win a recall referendum because it would give him momentum ahead of the 2004 elections for governors and mayors. The next scheduled presidential elections are in 2006.

"It would be best if they collected the signatures they needed because the defeat we will deal them will be historic," Chavez said.

- AP