Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela, stated that the leaders of the April coup, which briefly overthrew his government, intended to kill him. Mr. Chavez, who testified on Friday in the Venezuelan Legislative Congress, said that during the three days he was detained by the coup generals, he was on the brink of death at every moment. President Chavez did not accept responsibility for the deaths of 17 people who were shot during a protest against his government just before the coup and said he was willing to give his life but would not issue orders to massacre the people. Soldiers loyal to Hugo Chavez restored him to power three days after the coup. The Venezuelan parliament wants to understand what factors led to the coup and whether the rebellious officers should be charged and tried or not.
Testimony of Hugo Chavez in the Venezuelan Legislative Congress - 2002-06-02
Hugo Chavez testified that the leaders of the April coup aimed to assassinate him while he was detained for three days. He denied responsibility for the deaths of 17 protesters and expressed his willingness to sacrifice himself rather than order violence against the people. The Venezuelan parliament is investigating the causes of the coup and the potential prosecution of the coup leaders.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Hugo Chavez testified that the leaders of the April coup aimed to assassinate him while he was detained. He denied responsibility for the deaths of protesters and stated he would not order violence against civilians.
- Chavez was detained for three days during the coup.
- Seventeen people were killed during protests against his government prior to the coup.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Hugo Chavez was a polarizing leader who implemented socialist reforms and faced significant opposition, leading to a coup attempt in April 2002.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%