Venezuela talks venue blasted

BBC World Service Last Updated:  Saturday, 12 April, 2003, 21:33 GMT 22:33 UK

Police in Venezuela say a bomb has exploded in the capital, Caracas, in the building where an agreement was reached hours earlier about a referendum on the mandate of President Hugo Chavez.

A police spokesman, Carlos Medina, said no-one was injured in the blast, which damaged the facade of the Caracas Teleport tower.

Following the discussions with the government, opposition leaders they would accept that a referendum on Mr Chavez's presidency would be delayed until halfway through his mandate, in August.

At the beginning of the year, the opposition organised a two-month long general strike which failed to force Mr Chavez from power.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service