Chavez opponents, supporters rally in Venzuela

[calfoxwc]

Chavez opponents, supporters rally in Venezuela

 

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez' education law in Caracas. …

 

2 hrs 25 mins agoCARACAS (AFP) – In a sign of rising internal tensions, Venezuelan government and opposition supporters have taken to the streets of Caracas following worldwide protests against leftist President Hugo Chavez.

 

Leaders of the so-called "Democratic Alternative," a coalition of opposition groups, headed a large demonstration Saturday against a new education law approved last month.

 

Opponents say the law contains provisions intended to indoctrinate students and convert them into supporters of Chavez policies.

 

In recent weeks police have arrested at least 11 people demonstrating against the measure at various protests, further angering Chavez opponents.

 

"If you want peace open the paths to dialogue," Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma urged Chavez at the rally.

 

Ledezma, a leading opposition figure, appealed to the president "to end the persecution of mayors and governors" that oppose the government.

 

Chavez supporters, led by several cabinet ministers, took to the streets in a different part of the Venezuelan capital to support the president's policies and denounce "imperialism."

 

They also rallied against a deal allowing US forces to operate anti-drug operations from military bases in neighboring Colombia.

 

Chavez froze relations with Bogota after the US-Colombia deal was announced, and has described the plan as a US attempt to violate the sovereignty of the region's nations.

 

Socialist Party leader Robert Serra said the demonstrators were also marching in defense of the Chavez opponents.

 

"If the United States intends to invade Venezuela they will not ask who is a Chavista and who isn't," said Serra.

 

In a video address to his supporters, Chavez, who is visiting Iran, said he was proud of his followers. "I congratulate them on continuously defeating conspiracies against our motherland," he said.

 

The rival marches proceeded without incident under a heavy security presence.

 

Also Saturday, the head of Venezuela's national telecommunications commission, Diosdado Cabello, ordered that "administrative procedures" begin against private television station Globovision and 29 radio stations that could lose their operating licenses.

 

The measures against Globovision, which has been accused by Chavez's government of supporting a coup against him, came after a viewer message that reportedly called for the president's overthrow appeared onscreen during a broadcast.

 

"If you call for a coup d'etat, if you appeal for the murder of the head of state, you will be held responsible... We will apply the law and the constitution will be respected," Cabello said.

 

On Friday thousands of people gathered in cities around the world to demonstrate against Chavez.

 

A crowd of several hundred in Caracas accused the president of manipulating the population, while protestors in New York, Madrid, Paris, Brussels, Hamburg, and Toronto accused him of destroying free speech in Venezuela.

[calfoxwc]

"In a sign of rising internal tensions", ...like here at home...

Leaders of the so-called "Democratic Alternative," a coalition of opposition groups, headed a large demonstration Saturday against a new education law approved last month. ...like here at home...Obama taking over education of America's children...

 

Opponents say the law contains provisions intended to indoctrinate students and convert them into supporters of Chavez policies. ...like here at home, insert "Obama policies"...

 

In recent weeks police have arrested at least 11 people demonstrating against the measure at various protests, further angering Chavez opponents. ...say, WE don't have THAT yet

Ledezma, a leading opposition figure, appealed to the president "to end the persecution of mayors and governors" that oppose the government. ...there's still time for us...

 

Chavez supporters, led by several cabinet ministers, took to the streets in a different part of the Venezuelan capital to support the president's policies and denounce "imperialism." ...like here at home...

 

In a video address to his supporters, Chavez, who is visiting Iran, said he was proud of his followers. "I congratulate them on continuously defeating conspiracies against our motherland," he said. ...his followers...supporting HIM to "defeat conspiracies against our country" hmmm...

 

Also Saturday, the head of Venezuela's national telecommunications commission, Diosdado Cabello, ordered that "administrative procedures" begin against private television station Globovision and 29 radio stations that could lose their operating licenses. ...we don't have administrative procedures yet. Just administrative hostility so far, and attempted laws to be passed...

 

 

A crowd of several hundred in Caracas accused the president of manipulating the population, while protestors in New York, Madrid, Paris, Brussels, Hamburg, and Toronto accused him of destroying free speech in Venezuela. ...like here at home, but Obama and co. haven't been successful....yet....