Chavez warns US not to interfere with recall, slams Dominican 'coup' plot

CARACAS, Sept 7 (AFP) - President Hugo Chavez told Washington Sunday to keep its hands off Venezuela's expected recall vote, which could cut short his term, and slammed Dominican government ministers over an alleged coup plot.

"Gentlemen of the US government, I recommend that you forget the idea of sticking your hands in here, because the people will not accept it and this government will not accept it," Chavez, an elected leftist-populist, said on his weekly radio show.

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Chavez claimed US ambassador Charles Shapiro Wednesday showed a "clear policy of meddling" by meeting with the new National Electoral Council and offering technical assistance.

"This is a sovereign country, Mr. Ambassador, and you are obliged to respect this country. Your government is obliged to respect the country, its laws and its constitution," a clearly irked Chavez warned.

"As a Venezuelan I did not like it one bit that the US ambassador was welcomed (by the council). What rights does Mr. Shapiro have to be met with ahead of national authorities?"

Chavez accused his political foes here of seeking "international reinforcements" along the lines of the strategy that removed Nicaragua's Sandinista government from power.

The president demanded the United States drop its "interventionist obsession in Latin America" warning that his government has the weapons to counter any conspiracy.

Friday, Foreign Minister Roy Chaderton rejected assistance from Washington to the electoral council, saying "US democracy has severe organizational defects ... so we think that our own methodology is much more modern and reliable than" those of the United States.

Opponents have seized on a possible recall vote to remove Chavez after failing to do so in a coup last year and a general strike in January and February that crippled the country's key petroleum industry.

Venezuela's constitution allows for such a referendum after the halfway point in the president's term if 20 percent of Venezuela's almost 12 million registered voters agree to it.

The newly formed five-member electoral council is charged with verifying the more than three million signatures submitted August 20.

The charismatic Chavez, who has captured the support of Venezuela's impoverished majority while antagonizing business leaders, the middle class and the United States, has repeatedly said the signatures are worthless.

Should the referendum be organized, Chavez will be forced to step down if more than the 3.76 million people who elected him in 2000 vote for his ouster.

The referendum will not be binding unless at least 25 percent of registered voters cast ballots.

In later comments, Chavez accused Dominican Republic government ministers of supporting an alleged plot to kill him, saying President Hipolito Mejia had failed to take any action.

"We have proof that people are conspiring against Venezuela in the Dominican Republic," Chavez said.

"There is a nest of conspirators there that have much economic and terrorist weight, and a magnicide is being planned from there against this humble employee."

He said former Venezuelan president Carlos Andres Perez, based in the Dominican Republic, was behind the plot, and accused Mejia of failing to stop it as he had promised.

Mejia has denied the existence of a plot against Chavez from his country.

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This article is Copyright 2003 by Agence France-Presse.

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