Colext/Macondo
Cantina virtual de los COLombianos en el EXTerior
--------------------------------------------------
Raquel Morris-Ruiz wrote:
>
> > IRISH FILMMAKER'S EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF VENEZUELAN COUP
> >D'�TAT
> >
> >Michael McCaughan speaks to Kim Bartley, who witnessed last
> >weekend's coup attempt in Venezuela
> >
> >Reprinted from Irish Times 16 April 2002
> >
> >[Posted 18 April 2002]
> >
> >
> >Ms Kim Bartley and Mr Donnacha O'Brien have spent the past
> >three months filming a documentary on Venezuelan President
> >Mr Hugo Chavez for Power Productions, an independent film
> >company based in Galway.
> >
> >"I arrived in the centre of town just as the shooting
> >started," says Kim. "I filmed a while then took cover in a
> >doorway. Whoever was firing aimed directly at the crowd,
> >which was pro-Chavez. I filmed two dead bodies, both of them
> >beside the podium set up to rally Chavistas to defend the
> >presidential palace.
> >
> >"A woman working in the vice-president's office identified
> >the bodies as a legal secretary and an archivist, both
> >working inside the building. A 10-year-old girl was then
> >taken away, fatally injured.
> >
> >"More shots. We ran for cover like everyone else. We made it
> >to the palace through back streets as the firing continued
> >and as soon as we got in the gate another sniper started
> >aiming at the crowd. We were all thrown to the ground behind
> >a wall and later ran for cover into the building. Three of
> >the snipers were arrested . . . "Chavez was about to explain
> >what was happening in a live television broadcast but the
> >state channel's signal was cut just as he began to speak.
> >
> >"The army generals arrived and went off for a meeting with
> >Chavez. The evening passed in a flash as we waited for news
> >inside the presidential palace. A tearful Environmental
> >Minister, Ms Analisa Osorio, emerged in the early hours of
> >Friday, announcing the end of an era. 'He's under arrest,'
> >she said. Chavez emerged, barely visible with all the
> >bodyguards and junta soldiers jostling both to protect and
> >arrest him.
> >
> >"The atmosphere turned ugly. Radio and television
> >immediately announced the resignation of Chavez and began
> >broadcasting upbeat messages: 'Venezuela is finally free'
> >was the banner across all private TV channels.
> >
> >"The government went into hiding. Everyone fled for their
> >lives. The witch-hunt began. We decided not to go home,
> >checking into a hotel instead, for safety . . .
> >
> >"The media kept repeating footage of the swearing-in
> >ceremony of the interim president [Pedro Carmona] which was
> >followed by images of empty streets, everything in perfect
> >tranquillity. We were about to book a ticket to Panama when
> >a well-dressed passer-by told us to get off the streets.
> >'The Chavistas are coming' he said. It was Saturday
> >afternoon.
> >
> >"We took a taxi to the centre, where huge crowds had
> >surrounded the palace, demanding the return of Chavez. We
> >managed to get inside and found several Chavez deputies
> >calling round the country to find out what was going on. A
> >dozen people who were working for the interim government had
> >been taken to a room in the basement for their own safety.
> >
> >"Reports came in from around the country, barracks by
> >barracks, like a Eurovision song contest jury, that the
> >military was rebelling against the coup. Then came the
> >rumours that a commando had been sent to kill Chavez at the
> >army base where he was being kept.
> >
> >"The television continued to broadcast a steady diet of soap
> >operas, saying nothing about the huge mobilisation, which
> >was now making a deafening racket outside. Then came the
> >news that Chavez had been freed and was taking a helicopter
> >to Miraflores. The crowds went wild. The presidential guard
> >made a tunnel from the palace gates to a helicopter pad
> >across the street. The sound of choppers buzzing overhead.
> >
> >"Then he was there, striding toward the palace, mobbed by
> >supporters. It was like a dream, it's still hard to believe
> >it really happened."
> >
> >� The Irish Times * Reprinted for Fair Use Only
--------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
with UNSUBSCRIBE COLEXT as the BODY of the message.
Un archivo de colext puede encontrarse en:
http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
cortesia de Anibal Monsalve Salazar
