"Chávez is provoking people’s uprising," warns opposition leader

The leader of opposition Un Nuevo Tiempo party, replied to the Attorney General’s indictment for embezzlement while he was monitoring a project to build a new passenger terminal in the Venezuelan city of Maracaibo (Photo: Reuters)

Politics
Manuel Rosales, the Mayor of Maracaibo, (northwest Venezuela) and leader of opposition Un Nuevo Tiempo (UNT) party, has no doubts that the embezzlement charges filed against him by the Attorney General Office -including a bench warrant- were ordered by Chávez last year.

Rosales rejected twice on Thursday the legal action against him. The first time, at noon, he looked visibly upset. The second time, Rosales was in his office along with his lawyers and he looked calmer. In both cases, Rosales claimed that "a dictatorial government" has been established in Venezuela.

The Mayor of Maracaibo described Chávez as "a coward" who "breaks into tears in difficult situations" and now "depends exclusively on the military" and with their support intends to bend his fellow citizens "by kicking the Constitution."

Earlier, when Rosales was preparing to submit his plan to build a new passenger terminal in Maracaibo, the Mayor warned that "Chávez is provoking a popular uprising." He said that although the Venezuelan people are "peaceful, democratic and civil", the provocations of Chávez, coupled with the economic crisis and abuses "are going to incite people to revolt."