Britain Calls for Restraint After Venezuelan Coup

Britain yesterday demanded a swift return to democratic government in Venezuela following a military coup which forced President Hugo Chávez out of office.

By contrast the United States made little secret of its pleasure over Chávez's removal, as the new regime moved to deepen Cuba's isolation by halting supplies of cheap oil.

Venezuela, the world's third largest oil-producer, had played a leading role in forcing up world oil prices. Since Chávez's removal on Friday, prices have fallen by 6 per cent, trading below $25 on futures markets.

In almost four years in office Chávez had alienated most sections of Venezuelan society and was fast becoming as much of irritant to the US as Fidel Castro himself. Populist and authoritarian, Chávez threatened vital US oil supplies and challenged American campaigns against terrorism and drug-trafficking.

He was forced to resign in a meeting with three military officers at 3am on Friday after large street protests on Thursday resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people.

His supporters have claimed that his removal from office was illegal and several Latin American leaders have denounced the new government, headed by business leader Pedro Carmona, as illegitimate.

The military have refused Chávez's request to be granted refuge in Cuba, jailing him at an army base in Caracas. In an interview with Cuban television, his daughter, María Gabriela Chávez, said her father had not resigned, saying he told her in a phone call to tell 'the whole world... that I am an imprisoned president and at no moment did I resign.'

Police arrested three politicians associated with Chávez. Four others took refuge in the Cuban embassy. Security forces also conducted house-to-house searched for members of 'Bolivarian Circles' - Chávez-backed neighbourhood groups styled after Cuba's Revolutionary Block Committees.

Chávez came to power in 1998 after a landslide election victory with promises to clean out corruption and tackle the country's endemic poverty. A former paratrooper in the Venezuelan army, he had previously led an aborted coup.

But his popularity has waned in recent months as he became more autocratic, pushing through constitutional changes, and alienating former supporters. He exasperated Venezuelans by implementing economic policies by decree, repeatedly attacking 'oligarchs' opposed to his rule, and accusing the media and Roman Catholic Church leaders of conspiring to overthrow him.

The armed forces, which have traditionally strong ties to the US military, resented Chávez's distancing of Venezuela from Washington, including a decision to suspend Venezuela's participation in regional military exercises.

The mounting protests against Chávez in recent days included strikes by oil workers angered by his appointment of cronies to the state oil company. The disruption drastically slowed exports, sending oil prices sharply higher. This prompted the 150,000-strong demonstration that led to his downfall.

US officials said Chávez was to blame for the crisis, which had been provoked by 'undemocratic actions committed or encouraged' by the Chávez administration. They said he had gagged the media and banned demonstrations while allowing his supporters to kill or injure more than 200 protesters.

The Foreign Office sounded a more cautious note yesterday. Dennis MacShane, Minister for Latin America, said: 'Following the departure of President Chávez, the UK wants to see the swift return to a legitimate, democratic government in Venezuela. I hope the President's resignation will prevent more bloodshed.

'However, the people of Venezuela and the international community will not tolerate any regression to non-democratic government rule. A legitimate democratic government should be swiftly re-established.

'Any delay to this process will be contrary to Venezuela's long history of democracy and unacceptable to the international community.'