DATE=04/17/02

TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP

TITLE=CHAVEZ

NUMBER=6-125637

BYLINE=JOHN GUCHEMAND

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

INTERNET=

CONTENT=

INTRO: During the past weekend, Venezuela's president Chavez was ousted by a military coup, but two days later he found himself ruling the country once again. The United States' failure to immediately condemn the coup spread suspicion in Latin America that the United States backed the action. The United States denies this, and says Mr. Chevez again has a second chance to address the problems his country is still facing.

Here with a sampling of U-S editorial comment is V-O-A's __________.

TEXT: The Miami Herald gives us details of the tumultuous political situation in Venezuela and writes that there is some hope for President Chavez to change his country for the better.

VOICE: Hugo Chavez triumphantly returned as Venezuelan president after a two-day time-out forced by the military and popular demonstrations. He is the truly elected president of Venezuela and, like him or not, he is entitled to serve out his term unless constitutionally removed. That is what happens in a democracy and what we must support.

...Military commanders detained Mr. Chavez after his soldiers fired on 200-thousand protesters, killing 16 and wounding more than 150. Pro-Chavez counter-protests that resulted in more violence and deaths, a divided military command, and unconstitutional / undemocratic moves by an interim president paved the way for Mr. Chavez's swift comeback on Sunday.

...It is precisely in his dealing with media that Mr. Chavez shows weakness. Media from all over covered his struggling government, the demonstrations that followed and the failed coup. But, to Mr. Chavez, a report of unrest among the people or an op-ed that disagrees with his views is a clear signal that a T-V station, radio or newspaper is "a laboratory of lies, to sow terror, that is terrorism..."

No, Mr. Chavez. That is not terrorism. That is free expression, and it is the cornerstone of any democracy.

...Today he remains president. But the discontent that fueled the attempted coup has not gone away. We join those in the O-A-S (Organization of American States) who encourage Mr. Chavez to dialogue sincerely with his political opponents rather than attempting to silence them. That is the only way to strengthen Venezuela's democracy. We hope this attempted coup scares him straight.

TEXT: The Chicago Tribune echoes this sentiment and warns against the possible failure to democratize the country.

VOICE: Clearly the country has far to go to establish genuine democracy. And while Chavez has returned to office stronger than before, the economic and social ills that plague his country have not gotten any more tractable.

Maybe his removal and return will induce him and his opponents to moderate their rhetoric, work together to solve these problems, and cool the passions that produced the recent turmoil. Otherwise, Venezuela may be in for a lot worse.

TEXT: While criticizing the United States for turning a blind eye to this democratic process gone wrong, The Baltimore Sun agrees that Mr. Chavez now has another chance to fix what needs fixing in Venezuela.

VOICE: But the coup-that-was not has also exposed the Bush administration's parochial and misguided policy on Venezuela, and in the region at large.

...However, the United States, the champion of democracy, can not pick and choose the democracies it wishes to support. Its less-than-forceful response to the dissolution to the rule of law in Venezuela sent the wrong message to leaders in Latin America, who quickly denounced the overthrow of Mr. Chavez, and fueled theories that the United States had engineered Mr. Chavez's downfall. Neither befitted American interests in the region.

...He (Mr. Chavez) has a second chance to do right by his country and countrymen. Only time will tell if this newfound spirit is genuine.

TEXT: The Los Angeles Times advises again-President Chavez and writes that former U-S involvement in Latin American coups casts suspicion on the United States.

SOURCE: If he (Mr. Chavez) reaches out to his foes rather than continuing to divide the nation along class lines, Venezuela will benefit.

...The long record of U-S complicity in Latin American coups always raises suspicion of Washington's possible involvement. U-S officials say they did not encourage a coup, but a quick denunciation, or even sharp disapproval on both sides, would have kept the U-S on the brighter side of democracy.

TEXT: The Boston Globe concludes with advice to both Mr. Bush and Mr. Chavez.

SOURCE: Now that Chavez is back in office, President Bush would be wise to phone his friend President Vicente Fox of Mexico as well as the other Lain American leaders to tell them, perhaps in Spanish, that despite appearances, the United States has no desire to get back in the business of fomenting or backing coups against democratic governments. And Chavez could do his part by acting like a democrat.

TEXT: That concludes today's sampling of U-S newspaper editorial page opinion about Venezuela.

NEB/TG/RAE