Chavez Defends Military Raid On Food, Beverage Plants

www.voanews.com VOA News 18 Jan 2003, 16:53 UTC

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is defending military raids on beverage plants to stop what he is calling deliberate food hoarding by opposition-friendly businesses.

Mr. Chavez said Saturday, the armed forces will stop those who, "hoard food in order to cause shortages, violating the rights of Venezuelans." The president spoke in Brasilia, where he was expected to hold talks with President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, his Brazilian counterpart, on Venezuela's political crisis and its seven-week general strike.

He and President da Silva were to discuss the work of the so-called Group of Friends, a group of countries that have offered to help mediate talks between Mr. Chavez and the Venezuelan opposition.

On Friday, soldiers raided the Panamco bottling plant, which is affiliated with the Coca-Cola Company, as well as a warehouse belonging to beer and food maker Empresas Polar. The soldiers then carted beer off for distribution in poor neighborhoods. Opposition leaders, many of whom have support within the business community, said the raids set a dangerous precedent. A seven-week general strike called by the opposition has paralyzed Venezuela's key oil industry, forcing the government to import food and fuel. Mr. Chavez has rejected the opposition's demands that he resign.