U.S. denies support of Venezuelan coup

CNN, Wednesday, April 16, 2003 Posted: 9:24 PM EDT (0124 GMT)

[Chavez] is going to be given a test, and a test is before him now. -- Secretary of State Colin Powell

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- The U.S. Embassy on Wednesday denied Venezuelan claims that the United States supported last year's short-lived coup against President Hugo Chavez.

Army Gen. Melvin Lopez said Tuesday that Venezuela had proof of U.S. involvement. He said on state television that three U.S. helicopters were in Venezuelan territory during the April 11-14 coup, but didn't elaborate further. "We have the evidence," he said.

"These speculations are unfounded, totally false," U.S. Embassy spokesman John Law told Union Radio on Wednesday.

Law denied any U.S. aircraft was in Venezuelan territory during the coup.

"There was no American plane or helicopter in Venezuelan territory at that date," he said.

Dissident generals rose up against Chavez after 19 Venezuelans died and over 100 were wounded by gunfire as opposition marchers clashed with government supporters in downtown Caracas.

Loyalists in the military helped Chavez regain power on the 14th.

Following his return, Chavez said "worrying details" had emerged suggesting a foreign country might have been involved in his temporary overthrow.

The Bush administration has repeatedly denied that it was involved in the coup.

Powell has concerns about Chavez's commitment to democracy

Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez can show a commitment to democracy by holding a free and fair referendum later this year on whether he should step down.

In an interview with Associated Press Television News, Powell acknowledged that he has had "concerns about Chavez's commitment to the kinds of democratic institutions that we believe are vital in a democracy."

Chavez "is going to be given a test, and a test is before him now," Powell said, alluding to the referendum agreement brokered in recent days by the Organization of American States.

If Chavez agrees to a referendum and to an implementing role for the OAS and the Carter Center, "then he will be showing a commitment to democracy of the kind we believe is the correct form of democracy for our hemisphere."

He added that it is up to the Venezuelan people to make a judgment as to what kind of democracy they want for their country.

The Organization of American States announced Friday that the Venezuelan government and opposition had agreed to pave the way for a midterm referendum on Chavez's presidency. The OAS has been sponsoring the peace talks since November.

In the document, both sides agree to play by the rules as the opposition works toward a midterm referendum on Chavez's presidency while the chief of state has pledged to leave office if he loses.

Chavez, elected to a six-year term in 2000, accuses Venezuela's traditional elite of seeking his ouster and foiling his efforts to distribute Venezuela's oil riches to the poor.

His opposition accuses the former army paratrooper of imposing an authoritarian regime and ruining the economy.