By Cort Greene
The Association of Victims of the April 11,2002 coup against Hugo Chavez (ASOVIC) have
said that they will file court papers at the World Court in the Hague and in the
U.S.Courts, charging U.S.Ambassador to Venezuela, Charles Shapiro for his involement in
sniper shootings at the Llaguno Bridge durning the coup against President Chavez at the
Miraflores Palace, that left 20 people dead, including a jounalist.
Charles Shapiro is no stranger to being a participant with military coups, having been
Deputy Chief of the Mission ( a position usually staffed by the CIA) at the U.S.Embassey
in Chile at the time of the bloody and murderous military coup against the democraticly
elected President Salvador Allende on September 11,1973.The U.S goverment inspired coup,
carrried out by the CIA and Armed Forces of Chile, left in place a terrorist dictatorship
for more than a decade.
In a statement by Merly Morales, spokeswoman for the lawyers of the (ASOVIC)," there
are elements for conviction, in which in our judgement, serve as evidence to ask for the
opening of an inquiry before the U.S.Courts and the appropiate international
tribunals" against Ambassador Shapiro.
Evidence ranges from special courses in assault tactics given by U.S.authorities to
members of the Caracas Metropolitan Police Phoenix Group and the Chacao and Baruta
Municipal Police in the months leading up to the coup to conversations that were recorded
in the Center of Operations of the Metropolitan Police on April 11, 2002 between Police
Commissioner Forero and Ambassador Shapiro ( his code name-Zeus 32 America ) durning the
hours of fighting and shots being fired against people with references from the Center
that the Phoenix Group should use long-range rifles to neutralize the "talibans"
who the police refered to as the pro-Chavez supporters at the Miraflores Palace.
There is also evidence Merly Morales says that is "presented by the (Chavez)
administration relating to the presence in Venezuelan territory of U.S.ships on April 11,
as well as (U.S.) military personnel in the military installations at Fort Tiuna that
would lead one to believe that there was a act of State committed against the
constitutional goverment of Venezuela that directly affected members of our association
(ASOVIC) that were injured and killed.
The U.S.goverment has used every means at it's disposal at intervention to overthrow the
Bolivarian Revolutionary process, from the training of ganster paramilitaries in Miami, to
funding opposition groups, to using the Courts and Election Council systems and out-right
support of a miltary coup.The Venezuelan masses have shown time and again their
willingness to fight reaction.Now is the time for Solidarity action with them.Join us!
No to U.S.intervention in Venezuela!
Defend the Venezuelan Revolution!
Forward to Socialism!
Please pass this along to others,raise the issue in your Trade Union local or Group.
"An injury to one is an injury to all"
Up coming event- Encuentro Mundial De Solidaridad Con La Revolcion Bolivariana-
Solidarity Conference in Caracas April 13th-15th.- with many great speakers including Alan
Woods of British Socialist Appeal(CMI), Mazoor Ahmed-Member of Parliament in Pakistan and
The Struggle(CMI) and Miriam Municio of Sindicato de Estudiantes(CMI) in Spain - http://www.alternativabolivariana.org/encuentro/index.htm
Add your voice to the Campaign- Statement and signatures of supporters- http://www.marxist.com/Latinam/hands_off_venezuela2.html
E-mail us at: venezuela@socialistappeal.org
Socialist Appeal- http://www.socialistappeal.org
In Defence of Marxism- http://www.marxist.com
Venezuela-Corriente Marxista Revolucionaria- http://venezuela.elmilitante.org