Chavez Orders Investigation of Alleged Coup Plot
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
CARACAS, Venezuela — President Chavez has ordered an investigation into a purported plot to assassinate him and topple his government.
Mr. Chavez said late yesterday that his government eavesdropped on a group of conspirators who considered blowing up the presidential jet or bombing the presidential palace.
Mr. Chavez ordered his defense minister to investigate the alleged conspiracy involving a vice admiral from his inner circle and other former military officers.
“Evidently, there’s a conspiracy,” Mr. Chavez said on state television, according to a government statement. “We’ve been following this for some time.”
As of this morning, no one was detained in the case, Justice Minister Tarek El Aissami said.
A Chavez ally, Mario Silva, who hosts a program on state television, played a recording late yesterday of a purported phone conversation in which alleged conspirators discussed plans to overthrow Mr. Chavez.
Mr. Silva said Vice Admiral Carlos Millan was among them, along with two other ex-officers from the National Guard and the air force.
In the recording aired, a voice identified as an ex-officer said “we’re going to take” the presidential palace.
Mr. Chavez survived a 2002 failed coup and often has accused opponents of trying to oust him again.
The former paratroop commander said the conspirators have been “looking for ground-to-air missiles … to try to blow up the presidential plane … or bomb the (presidential) palace with a plane.”
Mr. Chavez called his opponents “little Yankees” and said they are following orders from Washington.
He has repeatedly accused President Bush’s administration of backing coup-plots. American officials deny it.