2009-06-29 12:01:55 - Yesterday's events in Honduras that led to the overthrow of President Manuel Zelaya have mobilized pro-government political and grassroots organizations in Venezuela. Supporters of the Bolivarian government started congregating outside Miraflores once news broke to show their rejection for what President Chavez dubbed a coup d'etat.

VHeadline News Editor Patrick J. O'Donoghue writes:

United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) deputy president and National Assembly (AN) leader, Cilia Flores has encouraged people to take to the streets to show their rejection of the de facto government of Honduras.

Gatherings took place in the main cities of Venezuela as people started comparing what happened in Honduras to the attempted and failed coup d'etat in Venezuela on April 11, 2002. People on the streets say they were struck by similarities of the two events, especially when the Honduran Supreme Court announced that President Zelaya had handed in a letter of resignation. The difference this time, protesters told reporters, was that unlike President Chavez, Zelaya was flown out of the

country.

Trade union groups in Venezuela have been busy on the Internet and community radios supporting a proposed national strike of worker's organizations and Zelaya sympathizers in Honduras called for today Monday.

The continental television service, Telesur has gained kudos over the last couple of days breaking news on the political crisis in the Central American nation ever since President Zelaya announced a national consultation to gauge popular support for a proposed constituent assembly and highlighting the reaction of the military high command and oligarchy represented by the public powers.

The latest breaking news on Telesur details an olive branch extended by the de facto President Roberto Micheletti, saying that if Zelaya returns without the support of Chavez, he will be welcomed back.

President Chavez has taken the lead in denouncing the coup, even going so far as to threaten military action if Honduran military forces attempted to enter the Venezuelan Embassy. Chavez has been instrumental in calling an immediate meeting of the Bolivarian Alternative to the Americas (ALBA) in Nicaragua and mobilizing his ambassadors at the United Nations and the organization of American States to carry out a diplomatic offensive defending President Zelaya and democracy in Honduras.

As usual, Venezuela's opposition has reacted to the news cautiously. Only Metropolitan Caracas Mayor, Antonio Ledezma, who is the de facto opposition leader and only presidential candidate, called on Chavez not to interfere the internal affairs of Honduras and leave the solution to international organizations. Other leaders, such as Miranda State Governor, Henrique Capriles Radonski have rejected the coup.

Patrick J. O'Donoghue
patrick@vheadline.com

www.vheadline.com/patrick

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