VENEZUELA: SECRETARY-GENERAL OF OAS ARRIVES FOR TALKS WITH MEMBERS OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

Record ID: 222954

  • Title: VENEZUELA: SECRETARY-GENERAL OF OAS ARRIVES FOR TALKS WITH MEMBERS OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.
  • Date: 17th April 2002
  • Summary: (W6) CARACAS, VENEZUELA (APRIL 16, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/CU: EXTERIOR OF BUILDING OPPOSITION PARTY "ACCION DEMOCRATICA" ("DEMOCRATIC ACTION")/ SIGN (2 SHOTS) 0.11 2. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RAFAEL MARIM, LEADER OF OPPOSITION "ACCION DEMOCRATICA" SAYING: "That man, that individual, was thrown out of power by his people. As a consequence, we refuse to acknowledge him as president of the republic. And, we shall act at the international level to solicit his trial for the corresponding jurisdictional instances and conforming to charges for genocide as has occurred with other mass assassins." 0.45 3. GV: EXTERIOR OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 0.52 4. GV: TROOPS 1.01 5. GV: ORGANIZATION OF THE AMERICAN STATES SECRETARY GENERAL CESAR GAVIRIA ENTERING BUILDING TO MEET WITH MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 1.06 6. GV/CU: VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEETING WITH GAVIRIA (4 SHOTS) 1.28 7. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CESAR GAVIRIA, SECRETARY GENERAL, ORGANIZATION OF THE AMERICAN STATES SAYING: "Our commitment to the Venezuelan democracy is absolute and we wanted to come expressly to the national assembly to let them and all the other sectors represented here know this." 1.39 8. MV/PAN: GAVIRIA LEAVING AREA/ GAVIRIA ENTERING CAR (2 SHOTS0 1.47 9. GV: EXTERIOR OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 1.55 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd May 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Reuters ID: LVA1EGPM87THZA1U96SPDHINR81A
  • Story Text: As Cesar Gaviria, secretary general of the
    Organization of the American States, meets with the Venezuelan
    National Assembly, a powerful opposition leader has said that
    his organization does not recognize Chavez as president.



    Rafael Marim, leader of the opposition group "Accion
    Democratica" ("Democratic Action") has rejected the olive
    branch and call for unity and dialogue extended on Monday
    (April 15) by firebrand populist Venezuelan President Hugo
    Chavez, saying his group will pursue charges of genocide
    against Chavez for the violence which killed over 60 people in
    4 days.

    "That man, that individual, was thrown out of power by his
    people. As a consequence, we refuse to acknowledge him as
    president of the republic," said Marim. "And, we shall act at
    the international level to solicit his trial for the
    corresponding jurisdictional instances and conforming to
    charges for genocide as has occurred with other mass
    assassins."
    Political observers say Marim's comments are certain to
    fuel fears that Chavez's restoration as leader of the world's
    no. 4 oil exporter is tenuous and could be challenged again by
    the same opposition forces that backed the short-lived coup
    staged by senior military officers on Friday (April 12).

    Chavez, whose foes include business leaders, the church
    and the press have often accused him of dictatorial behaviour
    in his three-year rule, said on Monday (April 15) that his
    government was willing to sit down and talk with even his
    fiercest opponents at a meeting boycotted by the Venezuelan
    press and attended only by members of the international media.

    Meanwhile, Organization of American States (OAS)
    Secretary-General Cesar Gaviria met with members of the
    National Assembly.

    Gaviria reiterated the OAS' position on the coup saying he
    would meet only with people who respect the Venezuelan
    constitution.

    "Our commitment to the Venezuelan democracy is absolute
    and we wanted to come expressly to the national assembly to
    let them and all the other sectors represented here know
    this," said Gaviria.

    Gaviria met with Chavez later in the day (April 16).

    Chavez, who was elected president in 1998, originally came to
    national prominence earlier in the decade when he orchestrated
    a failed coup against the nation's democratically-elected
    president.


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