Mon, Apr 11, 2005 - Page 7 News List

Three years after coup, Chavez stronger than ever

STRONG GRIP With many of his political rivals facing criminal charges and his likely reelection next year for a third term, the Venezuelan president is entrenched in power

AP , CARACAS, VENEZUELA

Chavez's supporters call those accusations false -- and part of a US-sponsored campaign to discredit the government.

"The attorney general's office is acting in an autonomous way, as it should," Lara said, adding, "the United States does not want to see that our institutions are independent."

Human Rights Watch recently questioned the independence of Venezuela's judicial system and urged a halt to criminal proceedings against Carlos Ayala Corao, one of dozens of Chavez opponents facing coup-related charges.

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