Venezuela's 'friends' hold crisis talks

news.bbc.co.uk, 24 January, 2003, 23:46 GMT

Chavez put up a show of force before the Washington talks

Officials from the six-nation Group of Friends are meeting for the first time in Washington to try to end Venezuela's political crisis, crippling the country's oil production.

Chavez has refused to step down

Venezuela, the world's fifth largest oil exporter, is in the eighth week of a national strike, with the opposition pressing for President Hugo Chavez to resign or call early elections.

The group - Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and the United States - will consider two compromise plans presented by former US President Jimmy Carter.

Correspondents say the meeting reflects the growing international concern to find a way out of the Venezuelan crisis, but there is little immediate sign of a solution.

The talks come after a day of violence in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, where one person was killed and at least 12 were wounded when a suspected bomb went off at a huge pro-government rally.

At least six people have been killed in clashes between Mr Chavez's supporters and opponents since the strike began last December.

Crisis meeting

The Group of Friends was formed to boost a so far unsuccessful mediation mission by the Organisation of American States (OAS).

The strike has crippled on oil and petrol output

The group will consider the plans presented by former Mr Carter to end the strike and hold early elections.

It also wants to send a high-level team to try to negotiate the settlement.

The BBC's Adam Easton in Caracas says that as a strategic supplier of fuel to the US, Venezuela is coming under increasing international pressure to resolve the strike.

In a sign of Washington's interest in a diplomatic solution, US Secretary of State Collin Powell was due to attend the meeting.

But correspondents say there is precious little trust between the Venezuelan Government and opposition.

They say that, at the moment, neither side appears prepared to give in.

Boost for Chavez

Opposition groups accuse Mr Chavez of behaving like a dictator and mismanaging the economy and have called on him to resign.

But Mr Chavez - who opinion polls say is supported by 30% of the population - was handed a victory on Wednesday when the Supreme Court postponed a referendum scheduled for 2 February, six months before a binding popular vote is due.

In a further boost to the president, there have been signs that the government has made some headway in breaking the oil stoppage.

Shipping data showed that oil exports in the seven days to Friday increased 62% to 688,000 barrels per day.

Before the strike, Venezuela exported almost 3m barrels per day.