MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

President Chavez admits a “recall referendum”

Venezuelan opposition has enough signatures to trigger a recall referendum on the rule of President Hugo Chavez, officials from the National Electoral Council, CNE, confirmed in Caracas.

CNE chief Jorge Rodriguez said the signatures collected in favor of the referendum exceeded by nearly 16,000 the 2.4 million - representing 20% of the electorate - required to hold the vote.

Rodriguez said the figures, though "preliminary, represent a clear tendency" in the final results to be announced shortly.

In the last few days President Chavez, anticipating the recall referendum, has said he's confident of defeating the referendum.

"We are ready to go to a presidential referendum", stressed President Hugo Chavez in message to the nation from Miraflores presidential palace.

The recall vote is meant to help end more than two years of political conflict that for long periods virtually paralyzed the economy of the country, United States fourth supplier of oil. The controversial personality of the former parachutist elected by a landslide in 1998 has split Venezuelan society, half loath him for wrecking the economy and moving closer and closer to Fidel Castro and the other half adore him arguing he's changing the lives of the impoverished masses.

If the preliminary trend holds up, a vote on recalling Venezuela's leftist president will take place Aug. 8. However if the vote is held after August 19 and President Chavez looses, then the vice president takes over.

Earlier Thursday, scores of people described as Chavez supporters staged violent disturbances in downtown Caracas, according to the capital's pro-opposition mayor, leaving at least one person wounded.

Caracas Mayor Alfredo Peña told journalists city hall was fired on with "machine guns and rifles". "This aggression seeks to prevent the peaceful resolution of the country's political crisis, and it comes from desperate groups that feel defeated. This is the 19th attack on city hall," he said, adding that the assault took place "in broad daylight and three blocks from (the presidential palace of) Miraflores".

Lazaro Forero, head of Caracas's Metropolitan Police or PM, also said that those responsible for Thursday's violence "are clearly identified: they are supporters of the government," numbering no more than 100, he added.

Prior to the announcement from the CNE, opposition and "Chavista" leaders had called on their respective followers to rally in Caracas on Saturday in what analysts say will provide a rough reflection of each group's strength looking forward to the possible recall vote. Many such street demonstrations over the past two years have been marked by violence, often involving firearms, and have resulted in scores of deaths, injuries and arrested.