[FREE IRAN Project] In The Spirit Of Cyrus The Great

[stefania]

Venezuela troops clash wth opposition protesters at summit of Third World leaders
Reuters - World News
Feb 27, 2004


CARACAS - Venezuelan troops fired tear gas and plastic bullets on Friday to stop opposition protesters advancing to a summit of Third World leaders to demand a recall referendum against President Hugo Chavez.


A Reuters correspondent saw National Guard troops fire round after round of tear gas canisters, scattering the demonstrators. Television footage also showed the soldiers firing shotgun pellets.

The clash occurred as thousands of opponents of left-winger Chavez headed toward the summit venue in Caracas, where the Venezuelan president was due to host a meeting of leaders from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The demonstrators planned to try to hand a message to the visiting delegates explaining their campaign to secure a recall vote against populist Chavez. They say he is ruling the world's No. 5 exporter like a dictator.

The heads of state of Brazil, Argentina, Iran, Zimbabwe and Jamaica were attending the summit of the Group of 15 developing nations.

Opposition leaders say pro-government electoral officials are following Chavez's orders to block their request for a referendum by objecting to more than 1 million pro-vote signatures on the grounds of suspected irregularities.
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Referendum AFTER Regime Change

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