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Chavez rallies supporters as Venezuelans protest in his absence
AFP
CARACAS
Petroleumworld.com 06 28 07
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Thursday urged his supporters to demonstrate in the streets to counter protests against him that erupted while he was away on a visit to Russia.
"Every time the enemy comes on the offensive, we must respond with a counter-offensive in the street, in the universities, on television, radio and in the press," he told the state broadcaster VTV by telephone from Moscow.
His retort came after thousands of people in Caracas joined a huge march by journalists for freedom of expression.
They were demonstrating a month after the popular anti-Chavez television station RCTV was forced off air when he refused to renew its license.
A separate group of pro-Chavez journalists gathered elsewhere in the city as the main demonstration headed for the RCTV headquarters.
The fiercely anti-US president was in Moscow Thursday to discuss possible weapons purchases and wider economic ties with Russia.
AFP 28 0715 GMT 06 07
Copyright© 2007 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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