Venezuela Recalls Coup Anniversary
Venezuela recalls Monday the coup d´etat on April 11, 2002, to overthrow President Hugo Chavez and reiterates its criticism of US responsibility in the events.

The failure of the coup, because of the joint action of popular and military sectors supporting Chavez, was a turning point for Chavez" government and the beginning of the fall of opposition forces.

The Venezuelan president said that the main cause of the action, led and financed by Washington according to official declassified documents, was the country's huge oil reserves, some of the largest in the world.

Chavez also accused the United States of ordering his assassination, according to a top foreign intelligence official.

Chavez presented a positive balance of his administration -three years after the coup- as shown by the increase of more than 15 percent of the national economy in the first quarter of the year and the decrease of unemployment and inflation.

The Venezuelan leader presented a broad number of programs in education, health care, housing and other social projects as well as the creation of new jobs and the distribution of food at reasonable prices.

The social programs have given way to constant electoral wins of the forces supporting Chavez.

The social scope of Chavez" government has reached the highest levels in the country and has the support of a powerful oil industry working for a better distribution of wealth among people as never before in the country.