Press Statement
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
Military Coup In Venezuela Condemned
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) denounces the military coup in Venezuela which has overthrown the elected President Hugo Chavez. Elected three years ago, Chavez had taken a series of measures to strengthen the independence and sovereignty of Venezuela and introduced land reforms and other pro-people measures.
It is against this progressive regime that an orchestrated opposition by the big business and the conservative military circles mobilised large scale protests and disruption of normal life. The pretext for the military take over on April 12 was a reported clash with opposition demonstrators leading to the loss of lives. The actual truth that many of those who died were supporters of Chavez, is being suppressed.
The life of Hugo Chavez imprisoned by the military is in danger. Threatening mobs have surrounded the Cuban embassy and largescale arrests ordered by the military of the personnel of the Constitutional government are taking place.
The US administration which has been ruthlessly hostile to the Venezuelan President has welcomed the military coup, making a brazen mockery of its claims to promote democracy in South America.
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns this vicious attack on democracy and the elected government in Venezuela. It calls upon the Government of India to protest this assault and not recognise the "transitional" government set up there