Six-Nation Group to Discuss Venezuelan Political Crisis

www.voanews.com VOA News 24 Jan 2003, 15:41 UTC

A six-nation group including Brazil, Chile and the United States is to meet in Washington Friday, in another effort to help resolve Venezuela's political crisis.

The so-called "group of friends" is to convene at the headquarters of the Organization of American States.

The group, which also includes Mexico, Spain and Portugal, has been trying to mediate talks between Venezuela's government and the opposition. On Thursday, a bomb blast killed one person and wounded at least 14 others at a pro-government rally in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Officials said the blast spread shrapnel through the crowd that had gathered to show support for embattled President Hugo Chavez. Mr. Chavez was at the event, but several blocks away at the time of the explosion. Venezuela's oil-rich economy has been crippled by a general strike, now in its 54th day, called by opposition groups in a bid to force President Chavez from office.