VEN -BOLIVIA articles from Prensa Latina

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Chavez announces expulsion of U.S. ambassador
http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=9fgAdq_SLYU

Venezuela Investigates Assassination Plan

Caracas, Sep 11 (Prensa Latina) The Venezuelan Parliament started on
Thursday an investigation about a plan to assassinate President Hugo
Chavez, with participation of retired and active military officers
and an opposition sector.

National Assembly President Cilia Flores expressed the need to
establish a commission in charge of the investigation, and warned
that political parties, especially one called Movimiento 2D, are
participating in the conspiracy revealed on Wednesday.

She recalled that the 2D Movement is headed by owner of El Nacional
daily Miguel Enrique Otero, and called to subversion and to ignore
the government to frustrate the coming regional elections, a plan in
which Globovision television station is also participating.

On Wednesday in La Hojilla television show, broadcast by Venezolana
de Television, Mario Silva showed a clip about a plan for a coup d'
etat and assassination, elaborated by retired and active military
officers without troops under their command.

A conversation among Army Division Gen. Wilfredo Barroso, Vice
Admiral Carlos Millan and Aviation Major Gen. Eduardo Baez, about
attempts to occupy the Miraflores Palace, can be herd in the
recording.

Their main objective aims at gathering all efforts to where "the man"
is, referring to Chavez. "If he is at Miraflores, we will concentrate
all efforts there," and occupy television stations.

Taking control of the Navy's Command and a "possible operation"
during Chavez' arrival from a trip, or capturing him with aircrafts
in the air, for what they said to count on commanders, colonels, and
F-16 pilots.

The PSUV (Venezuelan United Socialist Party) leadership also
requested that the Attorney General's Office starts an investigation
about those facts, which the organization called really serious.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro called extremely serious a
supposed plot for a coup d' etat to President Hugo Chavez, and
denounced that Washington was involved.

In a live contact with Venezolana de Television (VTV), the minister
said that direct evidence of Participation of retired military
officers and the White House can be seen in the denunciation of the
conspiracy against Venezuelan democracy.

This way, those military officers have betrayed seriously their
commitment to peace and service to our people, and from the
government, we are going to present the testimonies of the coup plan
to international authorities, said Maduro.

The world must learn about the maneuvers originated at President
George W. Bush's administration against Venezuela and other
progressive political processes in Latin America, the diplomatic
leader said.

Opposition oligarchy activists are trying to manipulate the internal
public opinion and even finish the president's life, but we have
strong and stable institutions, and those agents can not reach their
objectives, said Maduro.

He also said that we have not doubt that the Bush administration is
behind this plot. The closer the deadline of the Republican term of
office in the United States, the more they try to shed blood all over
the world, he stated.

In the conspiracies denounced by La Hojilla television show, we can
see a line of action orchestrated by the White House, not only
against Chavez, but also against the progressive Latin America, said
the foreign minister.

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People Arrested for Plot, Chavez

Caracas, Sep 11 (Prensa Latina) President Hugo Chavez announced on
Thursday that several people have been arrested in the wake of
revelation yesterday of an assassination plot to stage a coup in
Venezuela.

He said the plot is part of a new US onslaught in the region,
including current events in Bolivia.

In a television broadcast speech, Chavez said he had talked to
Presidents Evo Morales (Bolivia) and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
(Brazil) in the last few hours, and warned that today's situation is
different from that existing when the coup against Salvador Allende
was staged.

He urged opposition sectors to refrain from embarking on such a
venture, because they would be given a heavy revolutionary blow.

On Wednesday, La Hojilla television show host Mario Silva released a
video recording of two generals and a vice admiral talking about
plans to assassinate Chavez, including downing the presidential plane
or bombing the Miraflores Palace.

In view of the private media silence on this denunciation, Chavez
ordered a simultaneous television, radio rebroadcast of the video for
everybody to see.

Minister of Communication and Information Andres Izarra said to have
information on the involvement of leaders of big private media,
including Globovision and El Nacional daily, in the subversive plan.

In an interview for Venezolana de Television, Izarra described media
silence as surprising, and noted this attitude was similar to that of
the days prior to the coup of April 11, 2002.

In his television show on Wednesday, Mario Silva also said to have
new information about involvement of former Defense Minister, Gen.(r)
Raul Isaias Baduel, and a prominent shipping businessman in the plans
to stage a coup in Venezuela.

"We will present all these testimonies to the National Assembly and
the Attorney General's Office as soon as possible because the
Venezuelan people must be aware that these people are talking about
bombing the city and using planes to attack the Miraflores Palace,"
he said.

Therefore, we call on the people to mobilize immediately to prevent
such a criminal plan from going unpunished or ending in a mere
denunciation, he stressed.

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Chavez Supports Bolivian Democracy

Caracas, Sep 11 (Prensa Latina) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
denounced US government plans to overthrow governments in Latin
America and warned that if that were possible, he would support any
armed movement in defense of the people's power.

"From here, without any intention of interfering in the Bolivian
domestic affairs, I call the Bolivian military men," he stated in a
national radio and television network on Thursday.

"If Evo Morales were overthrown or killed, Bolivian coupists should
believe that they would be giving me free hands to support any armed
movement in Bolivia," he pointed out.

Chavez said that if the oligarchy defeated any government, they would
have free hands to start any kind of operations to restore the power
to the people in those countries.

"Our neighbors, governments and countries should know that we want
peace, but we do not want to die like Simon Bolivar in Santa Martha,
nor like Salvador Allende in La Moneda, Chile, either.

Chavez accused the Central Intelligence Agency and Washington of
leading the actions against South American democratically elected
governments.

"We all in Latin America, would rather die for the future of our
children and grandchildren," concluded the Venezuelan President, who
requested that the future US government respects governments, dignity
and sovereignty.

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US Ambassador Non Grata, Bolivia

La Paz, Sep 11 (Prensa Latina) Social organizations in Bolivia
support President Evo Morales" decision to declare US ambassador in
La Paz Philip Goldberg a non grata, responsible for anti-governmental
plotting.

In an act Wednesday at the Quemado Palace to present a new employment
program, the president explained the links of the diplomat and his
mission with disturbances in the regions of Santa Cruz, Tarija,
Pando, Beni, and Chuquisaca, where the authorities oppose the process
of change.

Morales instructed Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca to begin the
corresponding procedures for the departure from Bolivia of Goldberg,
accused of funding violent groups.

"The US ambassador is plotting against democracy, and wants to split
Bolivia," he remarked.

The Bolivian government had repeatedly presented evidence linking
subversive acts to the US mission in La Paz, and the US Agency for
International Development.

It has also denounced Goldberg"s secret meetings with local
opposition authorities, the latest held with prefects Savina Cuellar
(Chuquisaca) and Ruben Costas (Santa Cruz).

Referring to the diplomat, the president recalled he has expertise in
dividing countries, alluding to his previous missions in Kosovo and
former Yugoslavia.

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Bolivians Foil Santa Cruz Violence

La Paz, Sep 11 (Prensa Latina) Bolivians of the National Coordinator
for Change (CONALCAM) strengthened on Thursday a siege on Santa Cruz
protesting the violence of civic committees of the so-called Media
Luna.

According to the president of the Confederation of Colonizers Fidel
Surco, the measure was to be taken September 16 but was brought
forward as a result of threats issued by the oligarchy against the
social movements.

Surco said the judicial power should reprimand the authors of attacks
on a gas pipeline in Yacuiba, Tarija, which endangered natural gas
exports to Brazil.

He also supported President Evo Morales' decision of expelling US
ambassador to Bolivia Philip Goldberg on account of the plots against
the current government and process of changes.

Surco said the CONALCAM called permanent demonstrations throughout
the nation until the Congress ratifies the constitutional vote, which
the Executive has called for December 7.

Surco called citizens to gather in all provinces, municipalities and
towns to defend democracy and unity of Bolivians.

According to the mayor of Entre Rios Emilio Zurita, they will
blockade the roads to Bulo Bulo which connect Santa Curz with
Cochabamba and La Paz.

He said Santa Cruz governor Ruben Costas has been the leader of
protests against President Morales' administration and the measure
will last until he resigns.

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PL-6

Bolivia Condemns Violent Escalation in Pando

La Paz, Sep 11 (Prensa Latina) Bolivian Government condemned the
escalation of violence in the northern department of Pando, where
four people died in confrontations among Executive supporters and
opponents.

Minister of Interior Alfredo Rada denounced that the represive
measures implemented have turned into violence and confrontation for
several days between both sides.

Road said the plans for a civic coup d"etat are happening as
predicted by the Government, with breakings into institutions,
attacks to power stations and instigation to violence.

He ratified that the Executive would take proper measures to maintain
democracy and national unity.

Vice Minister of Government Ruben Gamarra confirmed the death of an
official of the Prefecture, but he assured to have preliminary
information on the death of other three citizens. The official stated
that it is not possible to maintain the current situation of
violence, and called society to demonstrate against those
irresponsible and criminal actions that bring about pain to Bolivian
families.

According to the presidential representative to that territory Nancy
Texeira, confrontations took place when a group of farmers run into a
road blockage by sectors of the opposition.

According to that source, the three remaining victims are a
councilman from the municipality of Porvenir and two farmers.

Gamarra and Texeira hold prefects and civic leaders of the so-called
Media Luna (Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando and Tarija) responsible for the
actions committed.

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