CARACAS: Thousands of Venezuelans mourned the passing of President Hugo Chavez on the first anniversary of his death on Wednesday, while National Guard troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets at anti-government activists who pressed on with street protests despite the commemorations.
Chavez’s successor, President Nicolas Maduro, angrily announced that he would break off relations with Panama, which he accused of being a “lackey” of the US in what he has repeatedly called a conspiracy to topple his government through the daily protests that have left at least 18 dead since mid-February.
Maduro said he made the move because Panama asked for the Organization of American States to study the situation in Venezuela. Maduro considers the OAS to be dominated by the US government, which has denied his claims that it is acting against Venezuela’s government.
“We don’t accept the interventionism of anyone, because our international policy is a policy of peace, of cooperation, of respect, of the anti-imperialist Latin American union,” Maduro said. Panama’s foreign ministry issued a statement expressing “astonishment” at Maduro’s action and called his comments “unacceptable insults.” It denied that the request for the OAS to discuss Venezuela was interference in Venezuelan affairs, saying the proposal had the “sole purpose to assist in bringing together the different actors in that sister country.” Venezuela is mired in economic crisis and daily anti-government demonstrations, and Wednesday was no exception as protests erupted in cities. (Agencies)
