Carter backs Chavez's victory

2004-08-17 07:05

Caracas - Former United States president Jimmy Carter on Monday backed Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez's triumph, but the opposition claimed the vote was a fraud and one person was gunned down in a Caracas protest.

Chavez urged the opposition to recognise the official results of the recall referendum, which showed he defeated the attempt to drive him from office by garnering 58% of the vote to 42%.

Carter, and Organisation of American States (OAS) leader Cesar Gaviria, said the results were similar to the quick counts their observer teams conducted.

But several opposition leaders denounced the vote as fraudulent and urged Venezuelans to take to the streets of the capital. Only a few hundred people showed up at the eastern Caracas square, where gunmen, clad in the distinctive red outfits of Chavez supporters, opened fire.

More than 10 million people voted

One woman was killed and at least four others, including a lawmaker, were wounded, according to police.

Angry protesters yelled "fraud" and "murderers" as they stood by a bloodied Venezuelan flag that marked the spot where Martiza Ron, 61 was gunned down.

Chavez said those responsible for the killing had been identified and vowed they would be tracked down and punished whether or not they are his supporters.

Speaking at a news conference, he called for national reconciliation and promised to "respect the 40% of electors who voted yes" to his ouster.

But he railed against those who won't accept the outcome of the vote that concluded before dawn on Monday.

"This is a case unique in the world where the leaders of the opposition do not accept election results," Chavez said.

The charismatic but controversial leader who has often launched bitter attacks on US President George W Bush, said he would like to see relations with Washington improve so they can be "at least at the level they were with (former US president Bill) Clinton.

He welcomed the US administration's statements that Washington did not have any evidence of a pattern of irregularities in Sunday's referendum.

But the US State Department declined to join international monitors in backing his apparent victory, calling for a thorough probe into the allegations of fraud.

"More than 10 million people voted and there is a clear difference in favour of the government of President Chavez," Carter said at a news conference.

But Leopoldo Puchi, leader of one of the numerous parties included in the opposition coalition, claimed the vote was "a massive fraud."

Chavez accuses his foes of seeking to regain the privileges they enjoyed before he launched the self-styled revolution he claims is lifting millions of Venezuelans out of poverty.

His popularity got a strong boost from recent spending on highly popular health programmes made possible by a windfall brought on by record oil prices.

The announcement that Chavez survived the recall referendum helped eased prices on the international oil markets.

- AFP