Venezuela gets the numbers

2004-06-04 11:17

Caracas - Venezuela's electoral authorities have cleared the way for a vote on removing President Hugo Chavez, setting the stage for a new political showdown.

"This is the triumph that will be repeated on August 8 when we hold the referendum," said the opposition governor of Miranda province, Enrique Mendoza.

Chavez agreed to respect Thursday's verdict by the National Electoral Council that there were sufficient validated signatures on petitions for a referendum that could remove him from office.

"We're going when the National Electoral Council orders it. We're ready to begin the real fight of the presidential recall," he said.

Council director Jorge Rodriguez said the opposition had collected 2 451 821 valid signatures, more than the 2 436 083 required by law.

Rodriguez said that while the signature count was preliminary, "It is probable that it will be maintained." Eighty percent of the signatures had been reviewed.

Officials spent the weekend verifying 700 000 signatures, in addition to the nearly two million previously validated.

In addition, nine opposition legislators will face recalls, Rodriguez announced. Chavez forces occupy 84 of the 165 National Assembly seats.

The constitutionally-mandated recall was the agreed-upon alternative to growing violence, strikes and a coup two years ago aimed at ousting Chavez. Former US president Jimmy Carter and Organization of American States Secretary General Cesar Chavez brokered the deal.

Street violence between pro-and anti-Chavez demonstrators shook Caracas in anticipation of Thursday's announcement.

Carter and OAS representatives oversaw the signature verification, but were admonished against issuing any statements about it, after Chavez administration officials called statements from US State Department officials unwelcome.

US interest in Venezuela is keen, because the only Latin American member of Opec sells more oil to the United States than does Saudi Arabia.

Chavez has said repeatedly that he would abide by the results of the referendum, most recently in a Washington Post editorial.

"To be frank, I hope that my opponents have gathered enough signatures to trigger a referendum, because I relish the opportunity to once again win the people's mandate," Chavez said on May 26.

Chavez claims that he is fighting what he calls Venezuela's corrupt, privileged oligarchy.

Venezuela's poor majority defends him, sometimes violently. Supporters rallied near the presidential palace on Thursday.

"Oh! No! Chavez will not go!" yelled thousands of pro-Chavez marchers, holding aloft small, blue copies of Venezuela's constitution.

The opposition labour and business coalition, with the help of the news media, call Chavez autocratic, especially after decreeing laws without consulting those large constituencies, as other Venezuelan presidents have.

- AFP