AP
Pedro Carmona

 The Venezuelan military tapped Mr. Carmona to head a transitional government, after forcing the overnight resignation of President Hugo Chavez. Mr. Carmona has been the head of the country's largest business association.

 After being named the country's interim leader, Mr. Carmona said presidential and legislative elections will be held within one year.

 He also announced Venezuela will suspend oil shipments to Cuba, which received 53,000 barrels of Venezuelan oil daily at below market prices under Mr. Chavez.

 The ousted Venezuelan leader had been a longtime ally of Cuban President Fidel Castro and asked to be allowed to go to Cuba.

 The Venezuelan military, however, refused his request. Cuba has denounced Mr. Chavez's ouster, blaming it on a counter-revolutionary plot by the rich. The White House says Mr. Chavez provoked the crisis that led to his ouster.

 The Venezuelan armed forces revolted against President Chavez following anti-government protests Thursday in Caracas left at 14 people dead and more than 240 others wounded.

 Generals say Mr. Chavez ordered snipers to fire on the demonstrators who massed in the streets in support of striking oil workers at the state-run oil monopoly, Petroleos de Venezuela.

 The demonstrators protested board members appointed by President Chavez, saying he hired them for political reasons instead of merit. Mr. Chavez is being held at an army base and could face charges in connection with the deaths of the protesters.

 Mr. Carmona has ended the strike that paralyzed Venezuela's oil industry. Venezuela is an OPEC member and the world's fourth largest exporter of foreign oil. 

Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AFP.

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