Ex-President Carter says US knew about 2002 Venezuela coup

Jimmy Carter

By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS | intelNews.org |
Former US President Jimmy Carter has said that the US was aware of plans for a 2002 military-civilian coup against the government of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, and that it may have even provided assistance to the coup plotters. In an interview to Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, published yesterday, Carter said there was “no doubt that in 2002 the United States had at the very least full knowledge about the coup, and could even have been directly involved”. The coup attempt took place on April 11, 2002, when President Chávez was illegally detained by the coup plotters, who also dissolved the Venezuelan National Assembly and the Supreme Court, and voided the country’s Constitution. But the move ended in failure 47 hours later, after key sectors of the military and parts of the anti-government opposition refused to side with the coup leaders. The coup was publicly condemned by international organizations and all American nations except Chile and the United States. The latter acknowledged the coup plotters as the “de facto government of Venezuela”, but proceeded to condemn the coup once it was defeated. Carter, who also voiced criticism of President Chávez’s style of governance, said it was understandable that the Venezuelan leader blames Washington for the failed coup attempt. Last week, Rafael García, former director of information technology at Colombia’s Administrative Department of Security (Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad, or DAS) alleged that the Colombian government also assisted the coup.