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Thousands march at funeral in Venezuela©Associated PressJanuary 6, 2003 CARACAS, Venezuela -- Thousands of government supporters chanted "Justice! Popular justice!" Sunday at a funeral for two men killed at a political rally amid a month-old strike aimed at toppling the president. Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel and several Cabinet ministers helped carry the flag-draped coffins of Oscar Gomez Aponte, 24, and Jairo Gregorio Moran, 23. Thousands followed the coffins waving Venezuelan flags, pumping their fists and chanting. On the way to the cemetery, the procession stopped at the Melia hotel, where Organization of American States Secretary-General Cesar Gaviria is staying, leaving a letter denouncing the recent violence. Gaviria is brokering negotiations between the government and the opposition on ending the general strike against President Hugo Chavez that has crippled the oil-rich country's economy and virtually dried up gasoline supplies. Opposition leaders blame Chavez's leftist policies for a deep recession and accuse him of trying to accumulate too much power. They want him to resign or hold a nonbinding referendum on his rule, which he says would be unconstitutional. Gomez Aponte and Moran died during a melee Friday between Chavez supporters, opposition marchers and security officials. Both sides blamed each other for the bloodshed. At least 78 people were injured.
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From the Times wire desk
From the AP |
