At least one gunmanopened fire on a Caracas square packed with opponents ofVenezuelan President Hugo Chavez yesterday, killing threepeople as strikers trying to force a change of government cutoff the world's fifth-largest source of oil exports.
Shots raked the square in Caracas' wealthy Altamiradistrict where military officers opposed to the leftist Chavezhave protested for six weeks. Three people were killed and over20 wounded before police grabbed one suspect, officials said.
One of those killed was a teenage girl.
The attack on one of the symbolic bastions of resistance tothe government came as opposition strikers choked off vital oilexports in a national shutdown that has lasted five days and isaimed at forcing Chavez to accept an early election.
Witnesses saw people, some carrying Venezuelanflags, sprint and hit the ground, taking cover behind parkedcars and concrete walls around the floodlit square on the warmtropical evening. A candy vendor pressed her young daughterdown behind her flimsy cart as more shots rang out.
A man in civilian clothes whipped out a pistol, causingmore panic as police in flak jackets tore around trying todecide where to point their rifles.
Amid the confusion, Gen. Nestor Gonzalez, one of thedissident officers, was quick to blame the government.
"This is a crime by Chavez against the people," he roared.
The military dissidents' leader, Gen Enrique Medina,called on the armed forces to rise up against Chavez.