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Hundreds of Venezuelans
Hold Demonstrations
to Protest Honduran Coup
Caracas - Hundreds of Venezuelans
took to the streets on Sunday to show support for
deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya, who was
seized by soldiers early Sunday and sent to Costa
Rica.
Responding to a call from Venezuela's President Hugo
Chavez, some demonstrators went to the Miraflores
Presidential Palace in central Caracas, waving the
Honduran flag and banners backing Zelaya.
One demonstrator said Honduras' military officials
"are just the same as those who conspired in the
April 11, 2002 coup in Venezuela."
Chavez was deposed for 72 hours in 2002 by plotters
that sought to annul the nation's legislature.
Other demonstrators said they were unhappy to see
the installation of an unconstitutional government
in Honduras led by Roberto Micheletti, who was named
as acting president by the Honduran Congress after
Zelaya was ousted.
Media also reported similar demonstrations in the
Venezuelan states of Lara, Merida, Tachira, Zulia
and Anzoategui.
Venezuela's government denounced the coup in a
statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday,
saying it would not recognize any Honduran leader
other than Zelaya.
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