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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
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To: Skywatcher who wrote (249814)4/23/2002 2:06:03 AM
From: Krowbar   of 769670
 
Bush aides met plotters before Chavez coup
By Rupert Cornwell in Washington
17 April 2002
Suspicions are growing that the US may have had, if not a direct hand in, at least prior knowledge of the abortive coup last week against Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez.

The New York Times said yesterday that senior Bush administration officials met leaders of the business and military behind the coup several times, and agreed that the controversial and populist Mr Chavez should be removed from power.

The coup lasted barely 24 hours before the ousted President was restored to office, although Washington had already publicly welcomed his overthrow. Even now, the Bush administration has not acknowledged a coup took place. The most charitable comment from senior Bush aides was that Mr Chavez had better take to heart the lessons of the past few days, or face another overthrow attempt.

The official line here is that the coup leaders were told Washington sympathised with the ends but the means had to be constitutional. The White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer, said: "Our message has been consistent. The political situation in Venezuela is one for the Venezuelans to resolve peacefully, democratically and constitutionally. We explicitly told opposition leaders the US would not support a coup."

However, "benign neglect" may be closer to the truth. A senior defence official said: "We were not discouraging people. We were not saying, 'No, don't you dare'."

news.independent.co.uk

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