CIA 'encouraging conspiracy'

2005-12-02 13:20

Caracas - President Hugo Chavez on Thursday blamed an election boycott by opposition parties on US President George W Bush, calling it a conspiracy against his government.

All of Venezuela's major opposition parties joined the boycott earlier on Thursday, accusing the electoral council of a pro-Chavez bias and expressing concerns a computerised voting system could compromise confidentiality.

Chavez insists Sunday's election will be fair.

"I denounce it before the world and hold responsible for this new conspiracy against Venezuela the very chief of the empire, Mister Danger, the president of the United States," said Chavez, a leftist and fierce critic of Bush.

"We will defeat the electoral coup," Chavez said during a speech, adding without giving specifics that he had proof the CIA was involved in Venezuela "encouraging this new conspiracy".

Pro-Chavez candidates are aiming to win a two-thirds majority in the 167-seat National Assembly in Sunday's polls, which would allow them to rewrite portions of the constitution and push back term limits for the presidency and other offices.

Currently, pro-Chavez lawmakers hold 52% of the legislature.

The Venezuelan leader spoke hours after thousands of Chavez supporters gathered in the streets to protest the opposition pull-out, calling it a desperate measure by parties that have lost political support.

'There's no possibility of a balance...'

"They are pulling out because they feel they've lost," said demonstrator Rafael Madero, a 45-year-old miner. "The decision is already made. They know they have no life left."

US officials, often critical of the leftist Chavez, have denied any involvement in supporting the opposition's boycott.

Gerardo Blyde, head of the opposition Justice First party, said his party decided to bow out, "pushed by the National Elections Council".

"There's no possibility of a balance" in the vote, said Cesar Perez Vivas, leader of the Social Christian Party, which pulled out on Thursday, joining parties including Democratic Action and Project Venezuela. Blyde called it the equivalent of a "political earthquake".

The electoral council insists it is impartial and says all preparations have been made for a fair and transparent vote.

The Organisation of American States, which is helping to monitor the elections, urged voters to go to the polls.

After meeting with the CNE and opposition parties, the organization said it has observed "important advances offering guarantees requested by the opposition parties that should generate more confidence and participation by the populace."

Only 78 candidates out of 4 056 have officially withdrawn, National Elections Council chief Jorge Rodriguez said.

Analysts for months have been predicting a sweeping victory for pro-Chavez candidates, mainly because of Chavez's popularity.

- AP