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IRISH FILMMAKER'S EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF VENEZUELAN COUP
D'ÉTAT
Michael McCaughan speaks to Kim
Bartley, who witnessed last weekend's coup attempt in
Venezuela
Reprinted from Irish Times 16 April 2002
[Posted 18 April 2002]
(Thanks to Karl Sanchez for this
article)
=======================================
Ms Kim Bartley and Mr Donnacha O'Brien have spent the past three months
filming a documentary on Venezuelan President Mr Hugo Chavez for Power
Productions, an independent film company based in Galway.
"I arrived in the centre of town just as the shooting started," says
Kim. "I filmed a while then took cover in a doorway. Whoever was firing
aimed directly at the crowd, which was pro-Chavez. I filmed two dead
bodies, both of them beside the podium set up to rally Chavistas to defend
the presidential palace.
"A woman working in the vice-president's office identified the bodies
as a legal secretary and an archivist, both working inside the building. A
10-year-old girl was then taken away, fatally injured.
"More shots. We ran for cover like everyone else. We made it to the
palace through back streets as the firing continued and as soon as we got
in the gate another sniper started aiming at the crowd. We were all thrown
to the ground behind a wall and later ran for cover into the building.
Three of the snipers were arrested . . . "Chavez was about to explain what
was happening in a live television broadcast but the state channel's
signal was cut just as he began to speak.
"The army generals arrived and went off for a meeting with Chavez. The
evening passed in a flash as we waited for news inside the presidential
palace. A tearful Environmental Minister, Ms Analisa Osorio, emerged in
the early hours of Friday, announcing the end of an era. 'He's under
arrest,' she said. Chavez emerged, barely visible with all the bodyguards
and junta soldiers jostling both to protect and arrest him.
"The atmosphere turned ugly. Radio and television immediately announced
the resignation of Chavez and began broadcasting upbeat messages:
'Venezuela is finally free' was the banner across all private TV
channels.
"The government went into hiding. Everyone fled for their lives. The
witch-hunt began. We decided not to go home, checking into a hotel
instead, for safety . . .
"The media kept repeating footage of the swearing-in ceremony of the
interim president [Pedro Carmona] which was followed by images of empty
streets, everything in perfect tranquillity. We were about to book a
ticket to Panama when a well-dressed passer-by told us to get off the
streets. 'The Chavistas are coming' he said. It was Saturday
afternoon.
"We took a taxi to the centre, where huge crowds had surrounded the
palace, demanding the return of Chavez. We managed to get inside and found
several Chavez deputies calling round the country to find out what was
going on. A dozen people who were working for the interim government had
been taken to a room in the basement for their own safety.
"Reports came in from around the country, barracks by barracks, like a
Eurovision song contest jury, that the military was rebelling against the
coup. Then came the rumours that a commando had been sent to kill Chavez
at the army base where he was being kept.
"The television continued to broadcast a steady diet of soap operas,
saying nothing about the huge mobilisation, which was now making a
deafening racket outside. Then came the news that Chavez had been freed
and was taking a helicopter to Miraflores. The crowds went wild. The
presidential guard made a tunnel from the palace gates to a helicopter pad
across the street. The sound of choppers buzzing overhead.
"Then he was there, striding toward the palace, mobbed by supporters.
It was like a dream, it's still hard to believe it really happened."
© The Irish Times * Reprinted for Fair Use Only
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