VENEZUELA: SUPREME COURT VOTES TO DISMISS CASE AGAINST FOUR MILITARY OFFICERS ACCUSED OF REBELLION IN A COUP AGAINST PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ

Record ID: 640531

  • Title: VENEZUELA: SUPREME COURT VOTES TO DISMISS CASE AGAINST FOUR MILITARY OFFICERS ACCUSED OF REBELLION IN A COUP AGAINST PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ
  • Date: 16th August 2002
  • Summary: (W1) CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 14, 2002) (REUTERS) SLV PROTESTERS RUNNING FROM TEAR GAS, POLICE FIRING TEARGAS (5 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 31st August 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Crime,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA9C2P7FZVWOUJWX8U0O5LU0DKM
  • Story Text: Venezuela's supreme court has voted to dismiss a case against four military officers accused of rebellion in a coup against President Hugo Chavez, sparking street protests in parts of central Caracas.
    Troops backed by armed vehicles fired tear gas in the streets on Wednesday (August 14) near the courts to disperse hundreds of supporters of the populist president who were clamouring for the officers to be tried for their part in the April uprising.
    "The decision establishes the dismissal of the case of the four officials who had solicited the attorney general for a pre-trial on their merit," said Supreme Court President, Ivan Rincon.
    The judges had already rejected two attempts to put the officers on trial, arguing that there was insufficient evidence to support the attorney general's case for rebellion.
    Most of Caracas remained peaceful, but at least one soldier and a cameraman were slightly injured in the protests, officials said.
    Violent demonstrations have rocked central Caracas over the last two weeks as police clashed with Chavez supporters demanding a trial. Nine people were wounded by gunfire last week during the protests.
    Last week's violence was the worst since the April 11-14 uprising as the court case inflamed political tensions between supporters and foes of Chavez, a former paratrooper who led a botched rebellion in 1992 before turning to the ballot box.
    The supreme court president, Ivan Rincon, said the case had been dismissed because the crime of rebellion could not be applied to the actions of the officers.
    Earlier Chavez had urged calm ahead of the court decision and called for talks to ease the deep political rancour dividing his oil-rich nation four months after the coup.
    The four accused officers maintained they acted within the law when they stepped in to fill a power vacuum after the president resigned. They said they acted to avoid bloodshed when gunmen opened fire on an April 11 protest shortly before the coup.
    Loyal troops and street protesters restored Chavez to power shortly after he was ousted in April. But reconciliation talks have since faltered and fears of more political upheaval keep Venezuela on edge. Supporters and foes of Chavez blame each other for more than 60 deaths during April's violence.
    Government officials said the accused military officers were still under investigation, but they remained at liberty while awaiting a ruling on the rebellion allegations.
    Chavez has blamed wealthy, political foes for the coup against him and for trying to manipulate the court decision in favour of dismissing the charges against the officers.
    Opposition leaders say the president threatened the supreme court judges.
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