MARÍA LILIBETH DA CORTE
EL UNIVERSAL

President Hugo Chávez Sunday branded as "little hopeless people" "the disguised students, the rich classes, some inhabitants in the east (of Caracas), Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino and the people urging others not to vote," and warned that he would not let them set Venezuela in fire.

Consequently, he instructed his officials to ponder the authorization of new student rallies and to impose likely penalties on some private television channels he accused of fostering a coup d'etat.

"Are we going to fell into the same trap (of 2002)? Why don't you punish the television channels? You (Minister of Communication Jesse Chacón) have the relevant power. Do it! It is provided for under the law, and if you do not dare, then forward the resolution to me, and I will certainly sign it!," Chávez said during a rally in Bolívar Avenue, downtown Caracas, where he officially opened the electoral campaign ahead of next December 2 referendum on his proposed changes to the Constitution.

"Assuming that this fascist minority manages to unleash violence in the streets, we are going to run them over," Chávez warned. He then pointed to the "ravage" allegedly caused by students during a demonstration last November 1. Chávez asked "the chiefs of this violent fascist minority" to use their imagination.

"Imagine one million people marching over the east of Caracas and burning chaguaramo trees and palm trees. That million people would be us, not you, because you do not amount to one million people. The unpatriotic oligarchy would be razed to the ground."

The Venezuelan ruler confessed that after he saw the trail of destruction left by the student demonstration last week, he told his Minister of the Interior Pedro Carreño, "The next time, you need to assess whether you are going to okay their demonstration, because you will be granting permission for them to come to burn downtown Caracas. What kind of weak government is giving permission to some fascists who are threatening to burn cars with people inside?"

He added an investigation is under way into the people who convened the protest, and claimed that the leaders "want some people to get killed."

"You have to assess this. You should not be surprised if you grant them a permit to march to O'Leary Square and then they will go to (the presidential palace of) Miraflores to burn it. This is the way the events of April 11 (2002) started, because of our weaknesses. But we will not allow this, you sons of daddy, you filthy rich people."

Chávez claimed that US TV network CNN and a local private television channel suggested that the killing of a student in northwestern Zulia state was linked to student demonstrations.

According to Chávez, some sectors are boosting a coup d'etat, including Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino and the Venezuelan bishops.

Chávez forecast the opposition would be defeated next December 2 and called his followers to overcome abstention and strengthen his United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.
msuarez@eluniversal.com