Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, April 15, 2002
U.S. Greets Chavez's Return to Power With Stern Warning
The Bush administration on Sunday warned Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez that his policies were not working as he reclaimed power just two days after being forced from office.
The Bush administration on Sunday warned Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez that his policies were not working as he reclaimed power just two days after being forced from office.
"I hope Hugo Chavez takes the message that his people sent him that his own policies are not working for the Venezuelan people," U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said, without condemning the earlier military coup that ousted Chavez.
"We do hope that Chavez recognizes that the whole world is watching and that he takes advantage of this opportunity to right his own ship which has been moving, frankly, in the wrong direction for quite a long time," Rice told NBC's "Meet the Press"news program.
Chavez, who was arrested on Friday by several generals for allegedly ordering gunmen to fire on a 150,000-strong opposition protest on Thursday, returned to the presidential palace by helicopter early Sunday.
Pedro Carmona, a businessman and co-leader of the protest, was named president by the military high command Friday. But demonstrations by Chavez supporters exploded soon, forcing Carmonato step down.