source: http://europe.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/10/27/venezuela.reut/index.html
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a populist former paratrooper who is resisting opposition calls to quit, said on Sunday a left-wing "axis of good" was emerging in Latin America.
Noting left-winger Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was set to win Brazil's presidential election, Chavez said some critics were portraying him, Cuban President Fidel Castro, and Lula as a Latin American "axis of evil," a phrase used by U.S. President George W. Bush to describe Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
"An axis of evil? More like an axis of good, of the people, of the future," the outspoken Venezuelan leader said in his weekly "Hello President" television and radio broadcast.
"A new impulse of freedom is sweeping the continent again," Chavez, a tough-talking nationalist, said.
He included in what he called this "new wave," Ecuador's former coup leader and retired army colonel Lucio Gutierrez, who a week ago came first in the first round of a presidential election and will go into a November 24 second round runoff.
Chavez, who survived a coup by rebel generals and admirals in April, spent most of his long broadcast attacking these same officers, who have challenged him again with a call for a revolt against his rule in the world's No. 5 oil exporter.
The rebels, backed by several dozen military colleagues and thousands of civilian supporters, are camped in a Caracas square and are spearheading an opposition campaign to try to force the president to step down and hold early elections.
The anti-Chavez officers were joined late Saturday by one of the pilots of the presidential plane, an air force major.
Chavez, backed by declarations of loyalty from garrisons across the country, has refused to resign and he dismissed his military adversaries Sunday as an isolated group of frustrated coup-plotters without troops to command.
"They are the most desperate of desperate men," he said.
In response to the continuing protest by the military rebels, Chavez supporters held rival rallies in Caracas Sunday to express their backing for the garrulous, populist leader, who was democratically elected in 1998.
"The popular gatherings are a response to the coup plotters," the president said.
Chavez, a close friend and ally of Cuba's Castro, describes his government program as a "revolution" aimed at reducing the wealth and power of traditional economic and political elites, and closing the big gap between rich and poor in the country.
But his civilian and military foes accuse him of trying to install Cuba-style communism and say his interventionist economic reforms are leading Venezuela toward ruin.
Chavez said he welcomed a visit by Organization of American States Secretary General Cesar Gaviria, who was arriving in Caracas Sunday to try to broker a dialogue between the government and opponents. Confrontation between the two sides has kept Venezuela in turmoil since the end of last year.
The president said he was willing to discuss almost any topic with foes, including OAS proposals for electoral reform, disarmament of pro- and anti-government groups and an inquiry into the killings of more than 60 people in the April coup.
But he ruled out the early elections demanded by his opponents, saying this was not possible under the existing constitution. "Those who are calling for elections now, are really calling for a coup," Chavez said.
The president, who before winning elections himself staged a botched coup bid in 1992, has told his foes he will not call elections before August 2003, half way through his mandate, when the constitution allows for a referendum on his rule.
The military officers opposing him say they do not want a coup but are simply opposing, through peaceful means, a president they accuse of being inept, corrupt and dictatorial.
Chavez has said his government will use arms against the rebels if they try to overthrow him by force.
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Copyright 2002 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a populist former paratrooper who is resisting opposition calls to quit, said on Sunday a left-wing "axis of good" was emerging in Latin America.
Noting left-winger Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was set to win Brazil's presidential election, Chavez said some critics were portraying him, Cuban President Fidel Castro, and Lula as a Latin American "axis of evil," a phrase used by U.S. President George W. Bush to describe Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
"An axis of evil? More like an axis of good, of the people, of the future," the outspoken Venezuelan leader said in his weekly "Hello President" television and radio broadcast.
"A new impulse of freedom is sweeping the continent again," Chavez, a tough-talking nationalist, said.
He included in what he called this "new wave," Ecuador's former coup leader and retired army colonel Lucio Gutierrez, who a week ago came first in the first round of a presidential election and will go into a November 24 second round runoff.
Chavez, who survived a coup by rebel generals and admirals in April, spent most of his long broadcast attacking these same officers, who have challenged him again with a call for a revolt against his rule in the world's No. 5 oil exporter.
The rebels, backed by several dozen military colleagues and thousands of civilian supporters, are camped in a Caracas square and are spearheading an opposition campaign to try to force the president to step down and hold early elections.
The anti-Chavez officers were joined late Saturday by one of the pilots of the presidential plane, an air force major.
Chavez, backed by declarations of loyalty from garrisons across the country, has refused to resign and he dismissed his military adversaries Sunday as an isolated group of frustrated coup-plotters without troops to command.
"They are the most desperate of desperate men," he said.
In response to the continuing protest by the military rebels, Chavez supporters held rival rallies in Caracas Sunday to express their backing for the garrulous, populist leader, who was democratically elected in 1998.
"The popular gatherings are a response to the coup plotters," the president said.
Chavez, a close friend and ally of Cuba's Castro, describes his government program as a "revolution" aimed at reducing the wealth and power of traditional economic and political elites, and closing the big gap between rich and poor in the country.
But his civilian and military foes accuse him of trying to install Cuba-style communism and say his interventionist economic reforms are leading Venezuela toward ruin.
Chavez said he welcomed a visit by Organization of American States Secretary General Cesar Gaviria, who was arriving in Caracas Sunday to try to broker a dialogue between the government and opponents. Confrontation between the two sides has kept Venezuela in turmoil since the end of last year.
The president said he was willing to discuss almost any topic with foes, including OAS proposals for electoral reform, disarmament of pro- and anti-government groups and an inquiry into the killings of more than 60 people in the April coup.
But he ruled out the early elections demanded by his opponents, saying this was not possible under the existing constitution. "Those who are calling for elections now, are really calling for a coup," Chavez said.
The president, who before winning elections himself staged a botched coup bid in 1992, has told his foes he will not call elections before August 2003, half way through his mandate, when the constitution allows for a referendum on his rule.
The military officers opposing him say they do not want a coup but are simply opposing, through peaceful means, a president they accuse of being inept, corrupt and dictatorial.
Chavez has said his government will use arms against the rebels if they try to overthrow him by force.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2002 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.