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Sunday, 14 April, 2002, 07:25 GMT 08:25 UK
Chavez makes dramatic comeback
"Chavistas" rushed to the presidential palace
Venezuela's ousted President Hugo Chavez has made a dramatic return to the capital Caracas, only two days after being forced out by the country's military. He is expected to be sworn back into office within the hour. A helicopter carrying Mr Chavez landed at the presidential palace on Sunday morning after bringing him from a Caribbean island where he had been detained.
Diosdado Cabello said he was waiting for Mr Chavez to return
The surprise turn-around came after the interim leader appointed to replace Mr Chavez resigned in the face of massive street protests and the loss of military support. Vice-President Diosdado Cabello was then sworn in as president, but said he was simply waiting to return the country to his ally Mr Chavez. The BBC's Nick Miles, reporting from Caracas, says Mr Chavez has come back to a deeply divided country. He fell from power on Friday after military leaders blamed him for the deaths of 13 people in violent anti-government protests in the capital.
Street protests
The country had been in the grip of a national strike, triggered by workers at the state-owned oil firm PDVSA, who were angry at the appointment of Chavez supporters to the company's board. Mr Carmona, the 60-year-old leader of the Fedecamaras business chamber, lost support after dissolving the National Assembly.
With full responsibility before the nation and the Venezuelan people, I present this resignation
Pedro Carmona
He was soon forced to reverse his decision after armed forces chief General Efrain Vasquez said he would only support Mr Carmona if the congress was restored. He was then forced to suspend the inauguration of his new cabinet. While this was happening, police were firing water cannon and tear gas to disperse tens of thousands of Chavez supporters who had surrounded the presidential palace which had been taken over by troops loyal to Mr Chavez. Reports said at least nine people had died in clashes between the police and demonstrators. It is still not clear whether General Efrain Vasquez will now back the return of Mr Chavez. Several television stations in Caracas have been taken over by supporters of Mr Chavez. He himself had not been seen since Friday morning, when the armed forces said he had resigned at their request. Pro-Chavez crowds which gathered in Caracas and other Venezuelan cities said they were not convinced the president had stepped down. Protesters said they wanted to see the letter of resignation which the provisional government said it had.
Soldiers loyal to Chavez occupied the roof of the presidential palace
Mr Chavez won a landslide election victory in 1998, but has recently been facing serious political problems. The national strike had been called by business and labour leaders after the president appointed his supporters to head the national oil company. Venezuela is the world's fourth largest oil exporter. After leaving office, Mr Chavez reportedly asked for exile in Cuba, where his friend and ally Fidel Castro is in power. Leaders from Latin American countries have called meetings to discuss the situation in Venezuela and most have not recognised the change of government, although they were critical of Mr Chavez.
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