Venezuela: USA suspected of involvement in coup

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has asked the USA to explain its actions during the attempted coup d’etat on 11th April.

The declaration by Hugo Chavez was carefully worded, for he stated that he did not believe that the US government was involved. However, he said that he was in the process of investigating numerous claims that American military personnel and administration officials were involved in the attempted coup.

There are, in fact, several indicators which point towards this possibility. In February, senior figures in the US administration, namely US Secretary of State Colin Powell and CIA Director George Tenet had made comments criticising the situation in Venezuela. The leader of the Venezuelan opposition party CTV (Confederacion de los Trabajadores de Venezuela, Confederation of Venezuelan Workers), Carlos Ortega, was received by the State Department. On the day of the coup, American military personnel, dressed as civilians, were filmed at installations controlled by the rebels.

17 people died during the disturbances. The investigation continues.

Marcia MIRANDA PRAVDA.Ru BRAZIL