DATE=04/16/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BUSH-VENEZUELA (S)

NUMBER=2-288789

BYLINE= PAULA WOLFSON

DATELINE= WHITE HOUSE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

///UPDATING TO INCLUDE FLEISCHER ACTUALITY///

INTRO: The White House says the Bush administration never told

opposition leaders in Venezuela that the United States would support a

coup. V-O-A's Paula Wolfson reports last Friday the military removed

President Hugo Chavez from power, but only for two days.

TEXT: White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer says U-S officials have met

with a broad spectrum of Venezuelans in recent months.

He says the message was consistent: that change must come peacefully and

democratically.

///FLEISCHER ACT///

United States officials explicitly made clear repeatedly to opposition

leaders that the United States would not support a coup.

///END ACT///

When the military briefly removed Mr. Chavez from power last weekend,

the White House spokesman said the Venezuelan leader was to blame for

his ouster. He did not condemn the coup and said President Bush was

looking forward to the restoration of democracy.

Now he is defending his initial response, saying the situation at the

time was fluid and - in his words - "combustible." He notes that on

Saturday night, the United States signed on to an Organization of

American States resolution condemning the actions of the Venezuelan

military. (Signed)

NEB/PW/SAB