Chavez sets condition for referendum

cnn.com-AP Friday, May 9, 2003 Posted: 1209 GMT ( 8:09 PM HKT)

The "Friends of Venezuela" meets with government officials Thursday.

Supporters want recall votes on opponents

We have to talk about referendums in the plural. -- Aristobulo Isturiz, government representative

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- President Hugo Chavez's supporters said Thursday that they would agree to a referendum on Chavez's rule if his political opponents would also face recall votes.

Government delegates last month backed out of a deal setting up a plebiscite this year on President Chavez's rule.

Representatives from Chavez's government and opposition officials met with envoys from Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and the United States Thursday as the six nations attempted to restart talks.

Chavez's opponents, who led a two-month failed strike this winter to force Chavez's ouster, want to end his presidency with a referendum.

They say the constitution allows for a referendum on Chavez's rule halfway through a president's six-year-term -- in Chavez's case, in August.

On Thursday, government representative Aristobulo Isturiz said any referendum on Chavez should also allow Venezuelans to vote on opposition politicians.

"How can we talk about a referendum for the president and ignore the requests for referendums on governors, mayors and congressmen?" Isturiz said. "We have to talk about referendums in the plural."

Chavez supporters have requested recall referendums to remove elected officials from office. All those officials have already reached the midpoint of their terms.

There was no immediate comment from opposition leaders on Isturiz's proposal.

Venezuela has been riven with political violence in the past 13 months. Dozens of supporters from each side have been killed and hundreds of others wounded in street marches and rallies over the past 13 months.

Venezuela's opposition blames Chavez's left-leaning policies for the country's deepening economic crisis and accuses the former paratrooper of riding roughshod over the democracy.

Chavez blames the two-month strike for the economic downturn. The strike was called to force his ouster, but was unsuccessful.