Carter's trip to Caracas seen as futile

www.miami.com Posted on Tue, Jan. 21, 2003 BY FRANCES ROBLES frobles@herald.com

CARACAS - Jimmy Carter arrived in Venezuela's capital Monday after enjoying a fishing trip with the president's archenemy to help referee a 50-day strike that has crippled industry and commerce.

Carter met with President Hugo Chávez one day after the Venezuelan leader criticized international negotiators who have been trying in vain to broker a negotiated solution to the strike that so far has cost $4 billion.

''I think there's always hope for a resolution,'' Carter said moments after his arrival. ``And I hope it will be soon.''

Opposition leaders refuse to lift the strike until the government agrees to early elections or at least a referendum on Chávez's rule.

Despite nearly three months of talks brokered by the Organization of American States, the opposition and the government have never been further apart. Carter entered a political arena so full of tension that some experts believe it is beyond the reach of the Nobel Prize-winning former U.S. president.

''Not even if Jesus Christ came to Caracas would it be enough to bring these sides together right now,'' said political analyst Miguel Diaz, with the Center for Strategic International Studies in Washington. ``I don't think many people expect much from Jimmy Carter. It's beyond him.''

Carter's visit was complicated by his choice of fishing partners. He arrived in the country Friday at the invitation of media magnate Gustavo Cisneros, who has publicly been accused of financing and plotting a coup that briefly ousted Chávez in April. Cisneros has denied any involvement.

Carter Center representatives said the former president would not make public statements about his visit until today, but opposition negotiators said he is widely expected to present a proposal today. In addition to Chávez, Carter met with OAS Secretary-General César Gaviria, opposition leaders Carlos Ortega and Carlos Fernández and representatives at the negotiation table.

''President Carter is coming at a very difficult time,'' said Gaviria, who has brokered talks here since November. ``Circumstances have changed a lot in the last few days. There's much more tension. But I think the table is the bridge between the government and the opposition. This is the place to find an accord.''

Six nations -- Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and the United States -- have formed an initiative called ''Friends of Venezuela'' to lend weight to the OAS-brokered talks. The first meeting will take place Friday in Washington to determine the structure of the group's talks.

The group was not days old before Chávez was publicly bashing it. He made a surprise trip to Brazil on Saturday to ask President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to expand the group to include more nations friendly to Chávez. Lula declined.

Days earlier, during a visit to the United Nations, Chávez publicly rebuked Gaviria, saying Gaviria was here only on the president's personal invitation. He later ordered a raid on Coca-Cola bottling plants here, saying that if private firms won't sell their goods, the military will.