Enough signatures seen to trigger Venezuela recall

CARACAS, Venezuela -- President Hugo Chavez is expected to face a recall vote after Venezuela's elections council projected yesterday that supporters of a referendum had gathered enough signatures, opening a turbulent new phase in this oil-producing nation's volatile power struggle.

Meanwhile, sporadic political violence gripped parts of the capital, with Chavez supporters severely beating an opposition lawmaker outside Congress; opening fire on the offices of Caracas's opposition mayor, a television station, and a newspaper; and setting fire to cargo trucks.

Opponents of the leftist Chavez, who was reelected in 2000 to a six-year term, accuse the former paratroop commander of gradually imposing an authoritarian government. Supporters applaud his far-reaching social programs for Venezuela's poor majority.

Based upon a count of roughly 40 percent of voter signatures, supporters of a recall vote will have gathered 2.56 million signatures when the counting is completed, said Jorge Rodriguez, a director of the National Elections Council.

That would surpass the 2.43 million signatures -- or 20 percent of the electorate -- required to demand the referendum. Chavez said earlier this week that he would abide by any elections council ruling.

Opposition leaders cheered and hugged each other at the headquarters of the coalition pushing for the vote, celebrating their first victory after a string of defeats, including a botched 2002 coup attempt and two-month general strike last year that failed to topple Chavez but ruined the economy.

''We did it!" said Enrique Mendoza, the governor of Miranda state and leader of the Democratic Coordinator opposition coalition. ''These signatures represent millions of Venezuelans who want to live in democracy and peace."

Information Minister Jesse Chacon said yesterday's announcement proved Venezuela's democracy was strong despite opposition allegations that Chavez was steering the country into dictatorship. ''Undoubtedly, the democracy that we want -- participative democracy -- exists," Chacon told state television station Venezolana de Television.

Rodriguez did not say when final results will be released and did not announce a date for a referendum, which would likely further polarize the world's No. 5 oil exporter.