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Venezuela's UN envoy resigns

The Venezuelan Ambassador to the UN, Milos Alcalay, center, talks to reporters in New York right after he announced his resignation on Thursday. PHOTO: EPA

Venezuela's envoy to the UN quit in protest against President Hugo Chavez's government on Thursday, denting its international image as anti-government demonstrations claimed another life.

The resignation of Ambassador Milos Alcalay was an embarrassment to the leftist leader as he faced a furious opposition campaign for a recall referendum against him that sparked violent street protests across Venezuela.

Alcalay, a career diplomat who had previously backed Chavez, said he objected to a ruling by electoral authorities against the vote bid and to a government crackdown against the protests in which seven people have been shot dead.

"We have a National Electoral Council which instead of providing a solution has put problems before every solution," Alcalay told CNN in Spanish in New York.

He accused Chavez's government of becoming undemocratic and repressive. "I don't feel I can be a spokesman for this situation," he said.

Government officials dismissed his comments and said he was among a group of diplomats who had supported a short-lived coup against Chavez in 2002, but who had kept their jobs.

A woman was shot dead on Thursday after soldiers cleared pro-referendum protesters blocking a highway in the western border town of Machiques. Opposition leaders blamed soldiers, but military officials said a civilian gunman opened fire with a pistol.

In the Andean city of Merida protesters faced off with riot police, but Caracas and other major cities were generally calm on Thursday.

The recent protests are the latest political upheaval to rattle the world's No 5 oil exporter, where Chavez foes accuse the former army paratrooper of edging Venezuela toward Cuba-style communism and dictatorial rule.

The National Electoral Council ruled on Tuesday the opposition had initially failed to collect the 2.4 million valid signatures needed to trigger a vote. Dozens of protesters and several soldiers have been wounded in confused gunbattles since last Friday.

Opposition leaders accuse the electoral council of being biased in favor of Chavez. They are demanding that the body ease conditions for the reconfirmation of around 1 million additional disputed signatures.

Chavez has dismissed the recall vote petition as a "megafraud" filled with forgeries.

But a referendum could still go ahead if around 600,000 of the disputed signatures are validated by voters during the reconfirmation in mid-March. International observers are trying to broker an accord between the opposition and the council on regulations for the additional checks.

Since his 1998 election, Chavez has faced increasing opposition to his self-styled "revolution." But the populist leader maintains a strong following among the poor who applaud his social reforms.

Opponents of Chavez say security forces illegally detained 300 people during the street protests. Officials say the number is much lower and dismiss opposition allegations of abuse.

Referring to this week's events, a top US military commander, General James Hill, head of the US Southern Command, said in Miami on Thursday he saw Venezuela "drifting ... toward authoritarianism."

The US, a key customer for Vene-zuela's state oil company PDVSA, has backed efforts to end the country's conflict through a referendum. But Chavez accuses Washington of supporting his foes, a charge the US routinely dismisses.
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