Opposition jumps on bandwagon to blame deaths on government supporters

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Monday, May 05, 2003 By: David Coleman

President Hugo Chavez Frias says that May Day violence which resulted in the shooting death of 46-year-old building laborer Ricardo Herrera is the latest attempt by radical elements in the opposition to destabilize Venezuela and undermine his government ... he says that the shooting had the same hallmarks as other high-profile killings since the failed coup d'etat in April 2002 aimed at removing him permanently from democratic power.

"It's the same format ... the same script ... the same characters," Chavez said during his regular weekly 'Alo Presidente' radio/TV broadcast.  "The opposition immediately jumps on the bandwagon to blame deaths on government supporters ... there's now such a climate of impunity that it prevents those responsible from being convicted."

Herrera was shot and killed at Thursday's May 1 rally by an unknown gunman who witnesses say escaped on a motorcycle ... police have made several arrests but no one has yet been charged with the murder.

Venezuelan human rights group, Cofavic says that political violence is rising and blamed the problem on a justice system where 57 people have died and more than 300 have been injured in politically-motivated violence since April 2002 ... the vast majority of killings remain unsolved and there has been no links established to either the government or the opposition although both sides of the Venezuelan political divide immediately rush to blame the other when given the opportunity.