03 Jun 2003 17:15:47 GMT

CARACAS, Venezuela, June 3 (Reuters) - Two dissident Venezuelan army captains, who feared persecution after helping to oust President Hugo Chavez in a brief coup in April last year, flew into exile in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday.

Brothers Ricardo and Alfredo Salazar, who escorted Chavez to an island off Venezuela's coast during the coup, left on a commercial flight from Caracas, their lawyer said.

The Venezuelan government granted the brothers safe conduct out of the country six weeks after they had sought asylum at the Dominican Republic's embassy in Caracas.

"They had the security services and armed pro-Chavez groups on their heels," said their father, retired Gen. Ricardo Salazar. "They will return when there is freedom in our country."

Political conflict over Chavez's leftist rule has kept Venezuela in conflict for more than a year and a half. The Salazars are the latest in a string of dissidents to seek political asylum since Chavez was returned to power 48 hours after he was toppled in the April 2002 rebellion.

Two other military officers left Caracas for asylum in Uruguay over the weekend and two more are waiting for permission to go into exile in Peru.

Chavez has sought to bring to trial for treason dissident officers, opposition leaders and former workers at the state oil company for backing last year's coup and launching an anti-government strike in December and January.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Monday, June 02, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

At a meeting convened to pay homage to opposition negotiators, the Coordinadora Democratica (CD) has let it be known that it will defend the results of the recall referendum, even to the point of starting a popular insurrection. 

Fired up Asamblea de Educacion leader, Leonardo Carvajal, who was the main orator,  said the CD will not just wait for the referendum but fight for it and for the results. 

In a fighting mood to beat off "Doubting Thomases" inside the opposition camp, Carvajal warns that if President Hugo Chavez Frias attempts to thwart the popular will using violence, then the opposition would have no alternative but popular insurrection ... "the international community as well as the Armed Force (FAN) must understand that." 

Carvajal listed the virtues of signing the agreement, among which is that the agreement itself ratifies the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council mandate, namely to seek an electoral solution to the crisis. 

Rebuking opposition adversaries who complain that the agreement has taken international bodies out of the equation, Carvajal contends that it is up to Venezuelans to solve their own problems and therefore, it is all the more important for the opposition to put up a united front to get the new National Electoral College (CNE) board of directors appointed as soon as possible.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic news Posted: Monday, June 02, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

It was the turn of the Christian Socialists (COPEI) to announce and confirm that the "Assault on Petare" will go ahead as scheduled, despite one death, 22 injuries and skirmishes between government and opposition shock troops two weeks ago in the western Caracas zone of Catia. 

Speaking for the Accion Democratica (AD) and COPEI  Coordinadora Democratica (CD) Alliance, Enrique Naim  says opposition supporters will assemble on Friday June 13 in Petare's Avenida Lebrun. "It will be a pacific rally and we are convoking  all opposition parties and the civil sector in general." 

Shaking a red rag to the bull, Naim says the Metropolitan Police (PM) will ensure public security for people wishing to attend the rally. "We will inform the Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister about the rally calling on him to respect an act that is democratic." 

Some political observers are judging the wisdom of staging the rally because they say the upcoming recall referendum process should be top priority. Other observers adhere to the view that the Petare rally is part of a growing civil war and the outcome of such gatherings will be more violence whether the opposition holds rallies in conflictive zones of Caracas or whether the government suddenly decides to stage a rally in Plaza Altamira.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, June 01, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

What is left of the opposition Coordinadora Democratica (CD) ... spear-headed by Accion Democratica (AD) and Christian Socialists (COPEI) ... has proposed three actions to ensure compliance with last Thursday's negotiations agreement. 

CD representatives, Vladimiro Mujica and Jesus Torrealba propose a recall referendum defense committee, campaign to speed up the National Electoral College (CNE) board of directors, and street agitation combined with legal actions. 

The two men say that are "reasonably satisfied" with the agreement and remind followers that the signatures do not guarantee compliance and that the government will continue its offensive and threats, 

Citing the example of telecommunications regulatory body (Conatel) pressure on Globovision to pay its taxes as a government threat, CD plans a series of internal debates and workshops this week to get people fired up till August 20 when signatures demanding the recall referendum should be handed in ... "possibly we will call a march on that day to take the signatures to the CNE." 

Mujica and Torrealba suggest the government will use delaying tactics against the referendum and warns that CD will agitate people to get on to the streets as an immediate reaction to any government placed obstacle.

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Sunday, June 01, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Accion Democratica (AD)  and Coordinadora Democratica (CD)  negotiator, Timoteo Zambrano says the government cannot unilaterally implement any of the 19 articles of the negotiations agreement  because the process from now on must be the product of a shared vision with the opposition and international bodies. 

Zambrano is peeved by declarations from Defense Minister General (ret.) Jose Luis Prieto over intervening State and municipal police forces. 

It appears that Zambrano claims that negotiations representatives are part of an invisible government above the legislature, states that each article must now be subject to interpretation and more negotiations.

The new doctrine has already found it opponents in the opposition camp ... Primero Justicia, Union and other groups have made it clear that the top priority is to get the recall referendum process on the right track and do not want to be bogged down by red herrings. 

According to political analyst Miguel Salazar, the CD is already a spent force with people abandoning ship. Federation of Chambers of Industry & Commerce (Fedecamaras)  representative, Rafael Alfonzo  has already deserted, as has Yaracuy State Government Eduardo Lapi, who made a song and dance of his disagreement, hours before the agreement was signed.

Returning to Zambrano, the AD leader says it is urgent that each side appoint representatives for a liasion committee to implement the agreement