Chavez foes take case to talks on ending strike

www.newsok.com 2003-01-25 By Joseph B. Frazier Associated Press Writer

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuela's opposition leaders took their case against President Hugo Chavez to Washington on Friday, joining six nations to discuss ending the country's strike.

Chavez's opponents were to meet with delegates of six nations that support negotiations mediated by the Organization of American States. Among the proposals is one offered by former President Carter to end the 54-day-old strike in exchange for early elections.

Venezuela's opposition called the strike Dec. 2 to demand that Chavez resign or call early elections. Opposition leaders contend Chavez's leftist policies have damaged business and scared away foreign investment.

"As long as this group supports an electoral and peaceful solution to Venezuela's crisis, our efforts will coincide with theirs," Alejandro Armas, an opposition negotiator, told local Union Radio from Washington on Friday. "We need to be sympathetic, optimistic and supportive of this initiative." The six nations are the United States, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Portugal and Spain.

Chavez has said he welcomed international help but warned against outside intervention. He urged the six nations to recognize that he was elected democratically and warned them not to give equal weight to an "undemocratic" opposition.

Adding to the tension, a pipe bomb exploded in Caracas on Thursday, killing one and wounding at least 14 as about 300,000 rallied to support Chavez.

The rally went on with Chavez insisting that his left-wing, populist regime would outlast the strike.