Venezuela military hurls tear gas at protesters

www.abc.net.au Posted: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 7:03 AEDT

Venezuelan military police and National Guards have fired tear gas canisters at opposition protesters marching towards a military complex where an earlier rally ended in violence that killed two. The protest has further stoked tension surrounding a crippling strike, aimed at forcing President Hugo Chavez from office, that is heading into a seventh week.

Military troops in full riot gear had positioned themselves along the main access road to the Fort Tiuna military complex, where several armed personnel carriers were deployed and barbed wire fences were set up.

The military police and National Guard fired the tear gas at a group of protesters that attempted to remove a barbed wire barricade. A small group of Chavez supporters cheered and clapped, while hundreds of protesters flung themselves to the ground to try to avoid inhaling the gas.

Antonio Ledezma, one of the opposition leaders, told reporters that he "appeals to the manhood of the national armed forces" to end their support for Chavez.

Once the tear gas cleared, the protesters again gathered in front of the same barricade, where some of the protesters kneeled on the ground.

Authorities were also holding back a group of Chavez supporters a few metres away.

A similar march to the military installations in south-west Caracas on January 3 ended in violent clashes with Chavez supporters.

Snipers shot at the anti-government protesters and police fired back, leaving two Chavez backers dead and 18 people wounded.