Chavez celebrates anniversary of his coup attempt of 1992

El President Hugo Chávez yesterday celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the coup attempt who headed against the President Carlos Andrés Pérez and catapulted to fame with a military parade the then Lieutenant Colonel in the army.

Flanked by the Presidents of Cuba, Raúl Castro, and the Bolivian Evo Morales, Chavez led the parade at Fort Tiuna in Caracas, the largest military installation in the country, to commemorate the events of 4 February 1992.

Also were the leaders of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer; Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, and the Haitian Michel Martelly.

Before thousands of supporters, Chavez said that this is a "historic day, of their dignity".

Justified his action by claiming that the rebel military took to the streets in "defense of our people" to the trampling of the Creole oligarchy and the Yankee empire, because that's the truth "that is the essence of the" u000a"rebellion of youth military one day as yesterday, (left) 20 years ago in defense of our people hit by subordinates who then ruled for American imperialism", stated.

Accusing the former military commanders repeatedly execute alleged orders of massacring people, Chávez stated that "these generals will most never again exist in Venezuela".

"We will henceforth have generals, admirals, officers and troops, anti-imperialist and socialist revolutionary and chavistas so it hurts more to the bourgeoisie and imperialism", said representative in allusion to his critics who questioned his recent claim that armed force "is Chavez" respond to ads of the opposition of a necessary cleansing of that institution if they win presidential elections in October.

4 February celebrations are rejected by opponents, who believe that fact undermined the u000ademocracy and resulted in the death of dozens of people.

"We consider February 4 was the seed for the Division, violence, militarist authoritarianism and failure," said opposition leader Carlos Vecchio.

"How can celebrate a failed, unjustified, violent, bloody coup, which killed dozens of venezolanosé?", stated.

Added that with the exhibition "exaggerated" militiamen and the huge weapons acquired in particular to Russia from 2004 - which included tens of tanks, helicopters, Sukhoi fighter-bombers and missile anti-aircraft – "President tries to sow fear but what shows is the fear of the Government to the expression of the people" in the next election on October 7.

In recent years, the President created the Bolivarian militia, a force composed of civilian volunteers ranging from students to retirees, which considered a crucial component of the defence of the u000acountry.

The failed rebellion of February 4 left a toll of 17 soldiers and 80 civilians dead, some used as human shields by the rebels in clashes between forces loyal to the Government and the coup. In addition, 51 wounded.

Military action was successful in most of the country except for the capital, where Chavez was in charge. The authorities stopped him in his command post during the attempt and he agreed to leave before the cameras to urge their colleagues that they handed weapons "for now".

Those brief seconds before the cameras turned him into a hero for many Venezuelans, who sympathized with the coup against the Government of Perez, who was seen as corrupt and insensitive to the plight of the population.

Chávez was imprisoned and was released in 1994 by President Rafael Caldera, and was launched in 1998 as a presidential candidate and ended with voting power.

Since then, leader u000aleftist has consolidated power and searched for the third time re-election next October.

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