Chavez in Spanish king coup jibe

SANTIAGO – Hugo Chavez suggested that Spanish King Juan Carlos knew in advance of a 2002 coup that briefly removed the Venezuelan president from power, stoking a diplomatic spat that arose after the monarch told Chavez ‘shut up’ at a summit.

Chavez, who was in Chile for the Ibero-American summit, claimed that Spain’s ambassador had appeared at Venezuela’s presidential palace during the two-day coup to support interim President Pedro Carmona – with the King’s blessing. Chavez asked how deeply Juan Carlos had been involved.”Mr King, did you know about the coup d’etat against Venezuela, against the democratic, legitimate government of Venezuela in 2002?” Chavez asked reporters on Sunday.”It’s very hard to imagine the Spanish ambassador would have been at the presidential palace supporting the coup-plotters without authorisation from his majesty.”The Spanish embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, was closed on Sunday and phone calls seeking comment went unanswered.No one was available to comment at the royal palace in Madrid, Spain.The spat began Saturday when Chavez accused former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar of backing the 2002 coup and repeatedly called him “fascist” in an address at the summit of leaders from Latin America, Spain and Portugal.”Fascists are not human.A snake is more human,” Chavez said on Saturday.Spain’s current socialist prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, asked Chavez to be more diplomatic and show respect for other leaders despite political differences.”President Hugo Chavez, I think there is an essential principle to dialogue, and that is, to respect and be respected, we should be careful not to fall into insults,” Zapatero said.Nampa-APChavez asked how deeply Juan Carlos had been involved.”Mr King, did you know about the coup d’etat against Venezuela, against the democratic, legitimate government of Venezuela in 2002?” Chavez asked reporters on Sunday.”It’s very hard to imagine the Spanish ambassador would have been at the presidential palace supporting the coup-plotters without authorisation from his majesty.”The Spanish embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, was closed on Sunday and phone calls seeking comment went unanswered.No one was available to comment at the royal palace in Madrid, Spain.The spat began Saturday when Chavez accused former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar of backing the 2002 coup and repeatedly called him “fascist” in an address at the summit of leaders from Latin America, Spain and Portugal.”Fascists are not human.A snake is more human,” Chavez said on Saturday.Spain’s current socialist prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, asked Chavez to be more diplomatic and show respect for other leaders despite political differences.”President Hugo Chavez, I think there is an essential principle to dialogue, and that is, to respect and be respected, we should be careful not to fall into insults,” Zapatero said.Nampa-AP