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Up to a million protesters turn out against Venezuelan President
Caracas, Dec 15: Masses of Venezuelans streamed from different sections of Caracas today to meet in a mass demonstration that called for the resignation of President Hugo Chavez on the 13th day of a national strike.
Caracas, Dec 15: Masses of Venezuelans streamed from different sections of Caracas today to meet in a mass demonstration that called for the resignation of President Hugo Chavez on the 13th day of a national strike.
Some estimates put the crowd at more than 1 million people. As they converged on a highway in eastern Caracas, protesters waved signs with anti-Chavez slogans, sang and blew whistles. The main speaker of the rally, Carlos Ortega, chairman of Venezuela's Federation of Trade Unions, said that Chavez had caused terrible damage to the country.
''Chavez is trying to divide the people and stir up hate, which is foreign to Venezuelans,'' he said.
Ortega also denied government claims that the general strike, which began December 2, had broken up. ''This irresponsible government says that there is no strike,'' he said. ''Naturally, there is a strike, Chavez - a strike that demands your resignation.''
Meanwhile, foreign minister Roy Chaderton rejected a US call on Friday for early elections. He said that Venezuela's Constitution does not allow for the vote to be moved up.
He also accused striking workers in the vital oil industry of wanting to grab more power than the people or the military. Chaderton called the crippling of the industry in the world's fifth-largest oil exporter a ''violent sabotage''.
Bureau Report
Some estimates put the crowd at more than 1 million people. As they converged on a highway in eastern Caracas, protesters waved signs with anti-Chavez slogans, sang and blew whistles. The main speaker of the rally, Carlos Ortega, chairman of Venezuela's Federation of Trade Unions, said that Chavez had caused terrible damage to the country.
''Chavez is trying to divide the people and stir up hate, which is foreign to Venezuelans,'' he said.
Ortega also denied government claims that the general strike, which began December 2, had broken up. ''This irresponsible government says that there is no strike,'' he said. ''Naturally, there is a strike, Chavez - a strike that demands your resignation.''
Meanwhile, foreign minister Roy Chaderton rejected a US call on Friday for early elections. He said that Venezuela's Constitution does not allow for the vote to be moved up.
He also accused striking workers in the vital oil industry of wanting to grab more power than the people or the military. Chaderton called the crippling of the industry in the world's fifth-largest oil exporter a ''violent sabotage''.
Bureau Report