It is going to get ugly for people who care about freedom. Colombia's FARC guerillas are very happy today.

Ousted Venezuela
president returns

Chavez, freed, reclaims office
from which he was ousted

ASSOCIATED PRESS

CARACAS, Venezuela, April 14 — Hugo Chavez was freed by his military captors and returned to reclaim the Venezuelan presidency Sunday, in a dramatic restoration of power two days after the military said he had resigned. Chavez stepped down from a helicopter, smiled and raised his fist in triumph as a greeted hundreds of cheering supporters outside the Miraflores presidential palace. Thousands in the street beyond began singing the Venezuelan national anthem.

HIS RETURN SHORTLY after 3 a.m. followed the resignation of Pedro Carmona, who resigned amid violent protests after just one day in office as interim president of Venezuela, the No. 3 supplier of oil to the United States.
Chavez’s vice president, Diosdado Cabello, had declared himself acting president until Chavez’s return from military custody. He appeared healthy and hugged supporters as a military band played.
Chavez’s family, supporters and former government officials insisted he never resigned as president, as Carmona and Venezuela’s high command claimed.
In a largely conciliatory speech, Chavez later told a news conference he had not been mistreated and recognized that both his government and his opponents had made mistakes.
“There isn’t going to be any retaliation, no witch hunt. I haven’t any thirst for revenge,” Chavez said, calling for his supporters who rioted on the streets in support of his return on Saturday to go quietly back to their homes.
State prosecutors were interviewing Carmona and several senior military officers at the Fuerte Tiuna military base, even though they were not formally under arrest, Chavez’s defense minister, Jose Vicente Rangel, said.

INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENT
The Organization of American States was sending a delegation to Venezuela to assess the situation. Chavez is a former army paratrooper who led a failed 1992 coup but was elected in 1998 on an anti-poverty platform. His term was to end in 2006.
Chavez’s attorney general, Isaias Rodriguez, told Carmona’s ministers they were under arrest pending possible charges.
“They must take responsibility. They will be put on trial with all their rights, but they will be put on trial,” Cabello said. Some military officials also would be tried for military rebellion, he said.
Instantly returning to his old talkative form, Chavez gave a rambling hour-long monologue that ended shortly before dawn broke over the troubled capital. He illustrated his promises of respect for the law by waving a small blue copy of the country’s constitution and held up a crucifix he had taken with him into captivity.
Chavez recalled how he had washed his own socks and underwear and said the popular protests and army mutinies in his favor marked a historic triumph for the Venezuelan people.
“I never for a moment doubted that we would return. But I never thought we would return so quickly,” he said.
Statements by military generals that he had resigned and asked to be sent abroad were lies, he said.
“They put a piece of paper on the table saying “Resign,” but I said, “I am a president being held prisoner, but I am not resigning.”

CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS RALLY
Tens of thousands of people surrounded the presidential palace Sunday after news of Carmona’s resignation. They set off powerful fireworks as they waited for Chavez’s anticipated return from military custody.
“Chavez is coming! Chavez is coming!” said Dario Fereira, an unemployed man wearing a tattered shirt.
Chavez administration officials — many of whom had evaded dozens of police raids under Carmona’s brief reign — and loyalist military officers hugged each other in the palace’s marble-floored courtyard.
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“In these past two days they have persecuted us,” said Rafael Ramirez, president of the state-run national gasoline company.
Unshaved and with red-rimmed eyes, Ramirez said he had hidden in friend’s homes after Chavez’s arrest on Friday. Asked about the turnaround, Ramirez said: “It’s marvelous because the Venezuelan people responded to this illegal coup attempt.”
Chavez’s labor minister, Maria Cristina Iglesias, said Chavez was kept on Orchila Island off the Venezuelan coast.
Just hours earlier, interim president Carmona — a businessman and co-leader of a general strike called last week against Chavez — announced he had resigned.

RECENT DAYS DEADLY
Carmona was named president by the military high command Friday, hours after generals arrested Chavez for allegedly ordering gunmen to fire on a massive opposition protest on Thursday. Sixteen died and hundreds were wounded in the melee.
Dozens more died in rioting and looting on Saturday.
Thursday’s march capped a general strike called to support oil executives who were protesting a Chavez-appointed board of directors at the state oil monopoly Petroleos de Venezuela.
A work slowdown by the executives severely cut production and exports in Venezuela.
Caracas Mayor Alfredo Pena said at least nine people were killed and 40 wounded Saturday. But an Associated Press reporter witnessed dozens of bodies at city hospitals.
“We have every right to protest, but they are gunning us down out there,” said Edgar Paredes, his clothes soaked in blood as he brought his wounded brother to a hospital. He didn’t know who shot Luis, and probably never will. Like most violent demonstrations here, gunfire can erupt from any side, at any time.
Demonstrators supporting Chavez — or opposed to the way he was ousted — forced Carmona to step down. The commander of a strategic air base in the central city of Maracay rebelled Saturday, setting in motion nationwide protests demanding Chavez’s return.
Thousands took to the streets, taking over state TV, to demand that Chavez be reinstalled. Signaling a split in the armed forces, several military commanders refused to accept Carmona’s appointment.
Some Latin American leaders denounced Friday’s irregular transition of power. The United States said Chavez was responsible for his own ouster because of attempts to violently suppress a Thursday opposition demonstration in which gunmen fired upon a 150,000-strong march.
At the palace, supporters displayed a huge poster of Chavez lit by floodlights. A military brass band stood at the ready. Red-bereted soldiers with automatic rifles paced through the hallways; others pumped their fists and egged on the crowd.
“Chavistas” seized the state-run TV station late Saturday. Even as gunfire rattled downtown streets, pro-Chavez lawmaker Juan Barreto praised the “peaceful insurrection” that called for Chavez’s return.

CARMONA’S CONCESSIONS
Bowing to a demand by restive army commanders, Carmona said earlier Saturday that Chavez would be allowed to leave the country. He promised to reinstate the country’s National Assembly, which he dissolved on Friday, along with the Constitution, Supreme Court, and other institutions.
Carmona also lost the support of the 1 million-member Venezuelan Workers Confederation, which co-led last week’s general strike, after Carmona decide to dissolve Congress, said confederation director Jesus Urbietta.
Jesse Chacon, president of Venezuela’s telecommunications agency, said TV stations’ conduct last week will be investigated. Chacon condemned stations that failed to cover protests against Chavez’s ouster.
At least 20 disturbances were reported in Caracas on Saturday. Unrest also was reported in the cities of Maracay, Guarenas, Los Teques and Coro. Police fought pitched battles with Chavez supporters in the western Caracas slum of Catia, a Chavez stronghold.

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