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On the eve of the announcement on whether the U.S. backed opposition has enough signatures to force a Presidential recall referendum, hundreds of thousands of people turned out to support Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias. In his speech, Chavez said "Here is Venezuela in the spirit of the Liberator Simon Bolivar to say NO to Yanqui interventionism, to say no to Mr. Bush, to his invading, imperialist and colonial regime ... and we will tell him that here is the people of Simon Bolivar and we will keep on telling him." The U.S. led opposition claims to have 3.4 million signatures with 2.4 million needed. Privately some opposition leaders have admitted that they do not have enough. Many of the signatures are fake. Some are from dead people, foreigners, forged, or stolen. Preliminary statistics predict only 1.4 million verified signatures. "I'm ready to bet in bolivares or dollars, whichever he wants, that I will be President in the Miraflores Palace longer than he (Bush) will be resident at the White House in Washington D.C." Chavez Frias said in his speech. National Elections Council (CNE) officials have postponed any announcement on preliminary results until tomorrow, Monday, claiming that there is an overwhelming need to preserve peace after repeated threats by the radical opposition to impose a unilateral decision that would mandate a recall referendum without the constitutionally required number of verified signatures. In April 2002, the U.S. backed a failed coup attempt. In December 2002, U.S. corporate interests were involved in an economic lockout to force the ouster of Chavez. In September 2003, Venzuelan government officials claim the CIA intended to assasinate President Chavez during a planned trip to the U.S. Now the wealthy elite, along with the U.S. backing, are trying to force the referendum. From tomorrow, March 1, Chavez Frias says a series of campaigns will be begun in 22 countries around Latin America, Europe and in the United States itself, against the Bush 2 government's interventionism and in solidarity with Venezuela's sovereign independence. Protests will take place in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay. Also Mexico; Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, Ohio and Boston in the USA plus protests in Spain, Berlin, Germany and France. [ Strengthened Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frias tells George W. Bush to back-off; keep his nose out of Venezuela's domestic political affairs | Venezuela's National Elections Council (CNE) test statistics project only verified 1,472,200 signatures to petition a recall referendum against President Hugo Chavez Frias | LA - MARCH 1ST. WORLDWIDE SOLIDARITY MOBILIZATION WITH VENEZUELA | The revolution in Venezuela is in Danger! ] Previous pdx indy features: [ Venezeula Has "Overwhelming Evidence" That The Cia Is Attempting To Assasinate Hugo Chavez (Sept. 23, 2003) | The Venezuelan Coup, the Commercial Media and how to stop them both (Dec. 22, 2002) | Letter to President Bush about Venezuela from Congress and You (Dec. 14, 2002) | USA intelligence agencies revealed in plot to oust Venezuela's President (Dec. 12, 2002) | Struggles Continue Amid Coup Plotting in Venezuela - an Indymedia report (Dec. 11, 2002) | The Venezuelan Revolution in Danger (Dec. 7, 2002) | More information emerging about U.S. involvement in Venezuelan coup-attempt (May 6, 2002) | Coup in Venezuela fails; Chavez returns to power (April 15, 2002) | U.S. sponsoring war in Colombia; Venezuela next? (Feb. 28, 2002) ]
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