Venezuela's Chavez says Washington plotting against him, cites alleged White House informant
CARACAS, Venezuela
Oct 1
Venezuela President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that he has received warnings from within the White House that Washington is plotting to assassinate him or topple his left-leaning government.
Citing information from an alleged White House informant, Chavez told thousands of supporters at a campaign rally that U.S. President George W. Bush — the Venezuelan leader's political archenemy — has ordered him to be killed before he leaves office in 2008.
Bush "has said that before he goes, Hugo Chavez shouldn't be the president of Venezuela," Chavez told the crowd. "The president of the United States has said it, especially in recent days. What he doesn't know is that I have friends in the White House."
The Venezuelan leader accused the Bush administration of conspiring against him a day after he alleged that there had been a recent attempt to assassinate him and said those responsible had since fled to neighboring Colombia.
Chavez appeared to link the alleged plot to his main rival in upcoming presidential elections, Gov. Manuel Rosales of Zulia state, claiming that he is in constant danger from opponents seeking to get rid of him.
A sniper had waited with a long-range gun and planned to shoot him as he exited a helicopter and walked across a 200-meter (650-foot) open stretch, he said. He did not elaborate further on the alleged plot.
Chavez has claimed before that the U.S. government is out to kill him — allegations that U.S. officials deny. The former paratroop commander has made other claims of assassination plots in the past, including a case involving 27 Colombians and three former Venezuelan military officers who were convicted last October by a military court for allegedly plotting to kill him. Chavez vowed to win the Dec. 3 vote and continue governing this South American nation until 2021.
"Fourteen more years, that's what's coming," Chavez said.
Venezuela's Constitution allows a president to be re-elected only once in immediate succession. If Chavez wins a second six-year term in December, he wouldn't be able to run again in 2012 — without a legal change.
Chavez has floated the possibility of changing Venezuela's constitution to allow indefinite re-election.
Oct 1
Venezuela President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that he has received warnings from within the White House that Washington is plotting to assassinate him or topple his left-leaning government.
Citing information from an alleged White House informant, Chavez told thousands of supporters at a campaign rally that U.S. President George W. Bush — the Venezuelan leader's political archenemy — has ordered him to be killed before he leaves office in 2008.
Bush "has said that before he goes, Hugo Chavez shouldn't be the president of Venezuela," Chavez told the crowd. "The president of the United States has said it, especially in recent days. What he doesn't know is that I have friends in the White House."
The Venezuelan leader accused the Bush administration of conspiring against him a day after he alleged that there had been a recent attempt to assassinate him and said those responsible had since fled to neighboring Colombia.
Chavez appeared to link the alleged plot to his main rival in upcoming presidential elections, Gov. Manuel Rosales of Zulia state, claiming that he is in constant danger from opponents seeking to get rid of him.
A sniper had waited with a long-range gun and planned to shoot him as he exited a helicopter and walked across a 200-meter (650-foot) open stretch, he said. He did not elaborate further on the alleged plot.
Chavez has claimed before that the U.S. government is out to kill him — allegations that U.S. officials deny. The former paratroop commander has made other claims of assassination plots in the past, including a case involving 27 Colombians and three former Venezuelan military officers who were convicted last October by a military court for allegedly plotting to kill him. Chavez vowed to win the Dec. 3 vote and continue governing this South American nation until 2021.
"Fourteen more years, that's what's coming," Chavez said.
Venezuela's Constitution allows a president to be re-elected only once in immediate succession. If Chavez wins a second six-year term in December, he wouldn't be able to run again in 2012 — without a legal change.
Chavez has floated the possibility of changing Venezuela's constitution to allow indefinite re-election.
posted by Alice at
Monday, October 02, 2006
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