President Chavez Frias blames opposition for recent violence

www.vheadline.com Posted: Sunday, March 09, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

Addressing an International Women's Day event this weekend President Hugo Chavez Frias accused opposition members of being responsible for recent violent acts, including the explosions at Colombian and Spanish diplomatic missions in Caracas, as well as the killings of three soldiers and a civilian woman. 

• The President claimed that the acts were orchestrated by the opposition in an attempt to discredit him and his government.

So far no arrests have been made for the two bombings, but government officials, including the President, claim they are closing in on the suspects.

The Colombian Consulate has handed a security video taken at the mission moments before the explosion, to Venezuelan security forces and it is thought to capture several individuals acting suspiciously.

As for the killing of the soldiers and the civilian, police have arrested a man and he has confessed to the murders.