Chavez Celebrates Anniversary 1992 Coup That Brought Him to Power; Opposition Mourns the Dead

abcnews.go.com The Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela Feb. 4 —

President Hugo Chavez celebrated Tuesday's anniversary of a 1992 coup attempt that launched his political career while opposition leaders trying to oust him mourned those killed in the botched putsch.

Under international pressure to end Venezuela's political crisis, Chavez's government rejected an opposition proposal to shorten his presidential term and instead suggested a referendum on his rule though it would take place far later than the opposition wants.

About 20 Chavez supporters briefly attacked the offices of Caracas' opposition mayor with gunfire, rocks and slingshots after a ceremony marking the Feb. 4, 1992, coup bid against President Carlos Andres Perez.

Five people were hurt by rocks and marbles flung by slingshots, said Ramon Muchacho, head of security for Mayor Alfredo Pena. National guard troops dispersed the "chavistas" with tear gas.

"How long is the government going to call for peace while it promotes this violence?" said Muchacho.

Chavez has declared Feb. 4 a day of "national jubilee," but few observed it as millions returned to work at the end of a 66-day-old strike that failed to force Chavez's ouster.

According to Provea, an independent human rights group, 17 soldiers and more than 80 civilians were killed during the 1992 coup led by Chavez, then an army paratroop commander. Fifty-one troops were wounded.

Chavez was jailed for two years, then embarked on a quest that led him to the presidency in 1998 on an anti-poverty platform. He was re-elected to a six-year term in 2000.

"February 4th wasn't a coup," Chavez said Tuesday, wearing a red beret similar to one he wore when he was captured in 1992. "It was a volcano that erupted from the moral depths of the military youth who rebelled against a military elite submissive to corrupt governments."

Anti-Chavez protesters mourned the 1992 dead. "Those deaths went unpunished," said opposition leader Jesus Torrealba.

Opposition TV stations and newspaper advertisements urged citizens to wear black clothing, turn their house lights off for a half-hour late Tuesday and fly Venezuelan flags at half staff.

The anniversary came at the end of an opposition strike that didn't oust Chavez but did hobble Venezuela's oil industry, the fifth-largest exporter in the world. The strike also managed to bring international pressure on Chavez and opposition leaders to find an electoral solution to Venezuela's political crisis.

Ronald Blanco la Cruz, a government negotiator at talks mediated by the Organization of American States, said the only acceptable proposal was a binding referendum on Chavez's presidency.

While Chavez has said the vote could be held in August, Blanco de la Cruz said efforts to organize the vote could only begin in August.

"This doesn't bring us any closer to a peaceful electoral solution," said Alfonzo Marquina, a member of the opposition Democratic Action party. "It could push the solution back as far as next year."

Blanco la Cruz rejected an opposition proposal to hold a referendum that could change the constitution, shorten Chavez's term to four years, and hold early general elections.

"Otherwise, people would start collecting signatures as soon as a president is elected," Blanco la Cruz told the state-run Venezolana de Television.

Chavez scoffed at opposition claims to have collected 4 million signatures for a referendum in a nationwide drive on Sunday.

"To hide the huge defeat we dealt them, they're saying they collected 4 million signatures in one day," Chavez said. "Well, let them believe their stories. Let them believe their lies."

Before any vote can be organized, the Chavez-controlled National Assembly must appoint a new National Electoral Council.

Shopping malls, fast food restaurants and factories reopened Tuesday, but the walkout continued at the state-owned oil monopoly. Chavez's government has raised oil production to more than 1 million barrels a day about a third of pre-strike production.