One Dead in Explosion Near Pro-Government Rally in Venezuela

www.voanews.com VOA News 23 Jan 2003, 23:00 UTC

Venezuelan authorities say one person has been killed and at least two others injured following an explosion near a large pro-government demonstration in the capital, Caracas.

Police say the incident happened Thursday as President Hugo Chavez was addressing hundreds of thousands of his supporters at the rally.

The demonstrators were protesting a long-running anti-government general strike that has crippled the country's economy, especially the vital oil industry. Before the strike, Venezuela was the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, producing more than three-million oil barrels per day.

Meanwhile, the Bush Administration has endorsed two proposals by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to resolve the Venezuelan crisis.

Mr. Carter's proposals, released earlier this week in Caracas, call for either a constitutional amendment that would trigger early elections or a national referendum in August on President Chavez's rule. In return, the opposition would be required to end the strike.

The opposition has demanded a referendum on Mr. Chavez' rule, but the president insists the constitution only allows for a vote in August, halfway through his term.

The U.S. endorsement comes as top diplomats from six countries prepare to meet in Washington Friday to discuss a resolution to the crisis. The six countries are known as the "group of friends" of Venezuela.