Chávez: "If I am killed, sweep away the bourgeoisie"

Politics
María León, the Venezuelan Minister of Women Issues and Gender Equality, was dressed in green military fatigues when she was interviewed by state-run TV network Venezolana de Televisión (VTV). This foreshadowed what was going to occur at Bolívar Avenue, downtown Caracas. The red color, which is usually wore by Chávez supporters, was replaced by olive green. At 4:.27 p.m., Venezuelan TV networks started broadcasting a nationwide radio and TV address, and made a close-up of President Hugo Chávez, in a Tiuna vehicle, heading towards a platform in the middle of the parade made by Bolivarian militias.

"We have to prepare ourselves in the military area; hence the need to keep assimilating the idea that all people must get involved in defense and have the responsibility to be prepared to ensure homeland independence and sovereignty," Chávez said in the anniversary of the events occurred in April 2002. The Venezuelan leader renamed the date as the "Day of the Bolivarian Militia, of People in Arms and of April Revolution."

Similarly to the previous commemoration of a failed coup led by Chávez in February 4, 1992, the Venezuelan president showed the sword that Peru gave as a present to Liberator Simón Bolívar, to sworn in "more than 30,000 militia troops of student battalions, the gun-toting fighters militias, as well as peasant and worker militias" gathered all along the avenue.

"You should be ready to take up the arms you have there at any time, and go out to give your lives, if you have to, for the Bolivarian Revolution!" Chávez said, while the militia pledged not to rest their souls "until final consolidation of the socialist revolution."

At 6:30 p.m., in a heated speech, he advocated unity as the key element to consolidate his revolution and socialism. Chávez highlighted the fact that the Venezuelan Communist Party (PCV) is the only ally of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, "because Fatherland for All (Patria para Todos, PPT) is lost." He urged the PCV to give a preference to the revolution "rather than the interests of the party."

The Venezuelan Head of State said that some opponents insist in staging a coup d'état or assassinating him. He said that the first option was "difficult to achieve, if not impossible," because there is a big group of generals, troops and militias trained "in the conscience of the revolutionary fatherland."

Chávez stressed that his assassination "is still a possibility." "The bourgeoisie keeps plotting to kill me. If they kill me, listen to me, do not lose your head! We have leaders, the party, my generals, my militias, my people. You know what to do. Just take over power throughout Venezuela, absolutely all, sweep away the bourgeoisie from all political and economic spaces and deepen the revolution!" Chávez then told his followers to follow his instructions "by complying with the Constitution."
The Venezuelan president warned his followers that they can not let the "oligarchy" to occupy seats in the National Assembly in the coming parliamentary elections.

Chávez announced that for the celebration of the bicentennial on April 19, he expects the visit of Cuban President Raúl Castro.

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas

María Lilibeth Da Corte
EL UNIVERSAL