PANDEMONIUM  NYT REPORTING  WATCH 

Gunfire Kills 2 in Venezuela as March Turns Into Street Fight.   Chavez Supporters March Against Strike.

Gunfire Kills 2 in Venezuela as March 

Turns Into Street Fight

ARACAS, Venezuela, Jan. 3 — At least two people were shot to death today and dozens of others were wounded in clashes between opponents of President Hugo Chávez and pro-government groups, as a peaceful protest involving thousands deteriorated into a huge street fight.

It is unclear who fired the shots. 

The Caracas fire chief, Rodolfo Briseño, said on television that two men had died of gunshot wounds.

Hospital officials reported at least a dozen people wounded by stones and rubber bullets, and soldiers fired dozens of tear gas shells to disperse the crowds. The disturbances lasted until sunset.

The violence marked an escalation of tensions that have roiled this country since the start 33 days ago of a national strike aimed at forcing Mr. Chávez from power. Many people at the scene expressed concern that with no end in sight to Venezuela's latest political storm, the atmosphere would only get worse.

"This country is like a time bomb," said Antonio Melchor, his clothes drenched in sweat and his eyes bloodshot from the tear gas. "Instead of elections, it seems the president wants civil war."

The strike has shut down most major industry, including crucial oil production, generating serious shortages of gasoline and cooking fuel.

As part of his effort to break the strike, Mr. Chávez has had talks with officials from Algeria about the possibility of importing oil workers, and is reportedly exploring similar options with India and the Philippines.

He said today that he expected a team of Algerians to arrive soon. He described them as "tanker crews, some experts in energy matters, refining, production, and especially systems analysts."

In Washington, the State Department reacted negatively to an effort by Mr. Chávez to form a coalition of heads of state, called "Friends of Venezuela," to help negotiate a settlement to the crisis. He talked about forming such a group during a recent visit to Brazil.

The State Department spokesman, Richard A. Boucher, instead expressed American support for talks currently mediated by the Organization of American States.

The violence here today began when tens of thousands of protesters approached a bridge leading to the main military base at Fort Tiuna, witnesses said. Protesters urging the military to join them also sought the release of a dissident general detained last week by the government.

Chávez supporters, shouting that they had come to defend the army, intercepted the marchers. Beneath the bridge, members of other pro-government groups, their faces covered by masks, began to throw stones and bottles.

Almost every day since the strike began, opponents of the president have held marches and rallies, at times with as many as half a million people, to press him to resign and hold new elections. The protesters say Mr. Chávez, who proclaims himself a champion of the poor, is seeking to impose a Cuban-style government. Meanwhile, the country is convulsed by its deepest recession in more than a decade.

Labeling protesters terrorists and coup plotters, the president has ignored calls to resign. He has further inflamed opponents by threatening to prosecute their leaders and by playing down the strike's impact.

But the violent scenes broadcast live on all major Venezuelan networks today only emphasized the depth of the turmoil.

Pro-government groups stood at one side of the bridge. Some began to set fire to the fields of shrubs beneath the bridge and throw stones.

On the other side, some opposition protesters, who had come armed only with flags and whistles, also began throwing stones.

Filed at 12:19 p.m. ET

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Several thousand supporters of President Hugo Chavez marched through downtown Caracas Saturday demanding an end to opposition strikes that have paralyzed the country's oil industry.

Wearing paratrooper berets like the president's and waving Venezuelan flags, the marchers said they wanted business to resume at the state-run oil monopoly, PDVSA. ``This is a march to defend what belongs to all Venezuelans,'' said key Chavez ally Guillermo Garcia Ponce, who joined the march.

``We aren't going to allow conspirators to destroy PDVSA as part of a plan to overthrow a popularly elected government,'' Garcia Ponce told state-run television. Government allies staged the march a day after the leftist president said he would consider imposing martial law to quell the five-week strike and halt escalating political violence. Gunfire erupted Friday during an opposition march on the headquarters of the armed forces, Caracas Fire Chief Rodolfo Briceno said. Two people died of gunshot wounds and at least 78 others were injured -- five of them by gunshots. It was unclear who fired on the demonstrators, who were met by hundreds of Chavez supporters throwing rocks and bottles at security forces trying to keep the two sides apart. ``I am obligated to protect the people. I am obligated to protect public order,'' Chavez said. ``If they force me to (decree martial law), I'd have to do it. ``So far, despite everything that has happened, there has been no need to apply any exceptional measures,'' he added. Chavez made his comments after meeting with Cesar Gaviria, secretary general of the Organization of American States, who is trying to negotiate a settlement between the government and the opposition. Daily street protests by Chavez opponents and supporters have been common since the opposition declared a general strike Dec. 2 in an attempt to oust Chavez. Friday's anti-Chavez march deteriorated into a melee after the national guard fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a few hundred Chavez supporters, who were throwing rocks at security forces while waiting for marchers to arrive at a park near the military base entrance. When marchers arrived and moved toward a security line, guardsmen fired more tear gas into the crowd. Shots then rang out. The protest lasted several hours in the park, under a veil of tear gas, before marchers dispersed. The injured included seven police officers, Police Chief Henry Vivas said. Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez said 11 people were hurt in a stampede. Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel on Friday blamed ``irresponsible'' march leaders for trying to enter the park, which the government has declared a security zone -- one of eight such zones in Caracas. ``They tried to break through a security barrier and that produced the clashes with security forces,'' Rangel told The Associated Press. The last time people were killed during a political demonstration was Dec. 6, when three people were gunned down at an opposition rally. Dozens were killed in April rioting during a short-lived coup that briefly ousted Chavez. With support from loyalists in the military, Chavez regained power after two days. ``The force of law is going to be imposed here,'' Chavez said. Opposition leader Hermann Escarra warned, in comments broadcast on Globovision television, that Venezuelans would hold Chavez responsible if martial law was declared and civil rights were violated. The marchers demanded the release of Gen. Carlos Alfonso Martinez, one of about 100 officers who revolted last fall. Martinez was arrested Dec. 30 without a required court order and remains under house arrest even though a judge ordered his release. The opposition accuses Chavez of causing a deep recession here -- unemployment has reached 17 percent and inflation 30 percent under his rule. The opposition also charges Chavez with trying to impose a leftist, authoritarian government. Chavez insists the opposition, which he calls the oligarchy, is trying to sabotage the economy to force him from power. He has agreed to a binding referendum on his presidency in August, halfway through his six-year term, which he says is the only way to test his support constitutionally. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP- Venezuela-Strike.html Doing research? Search the archive for more than 500,000 articles: Today's News Past Week Past 30 Days Past 90 Days Past Year Since 1996 Wake up to the world with home delivery of The New York Times newspaper. Click Here for 50% off. Home | Back to A.P. | Search | Corrections | Help | Back to Top Copyright 2003 The Associated Press | Privacy Policy

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