Chavez's foes protest arrests

CARACAS -- Hundreds of opponents of President Hugo Chavez marched in the capital yesterday, demanding the release of about 350 people arrested during a week of protests and rioting that have left at least eight dead.

The latest death occurred in a protest yesterday in the western town of Machiques, when gunfire from an undetermined source killed a 50-year-old woman, a National Guard statement said. The violence came as 400 opposition protesters clashed with the guardsmen.

Chanting "Freedom! Freedom!" demonstrators in Caracas held up photographs of a prominent opposition politician, Carlos Melo, who was detained on charges of weapons possession.

Opposition leaders say 350 people were arrested in five days of rioting in Venezuela, the world's No. 5 oil exporter. Anti-Chavez forces have been angered by the National Elections Council's decision to reject a petition for a vote to recall Chavez.

"It's not enough that they steal our signatures. They also have to rob Venezuelans of our peace and physical safety," said opposition leader Antonio Ledezma.

The opposition said some people had been beaten.

Denying any mistreatment, Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said the arrests were necessary to restore order after protesters lobbed firebombs at troops.

In New York, Venezuela's ambassador to the United Nations resigned yesterday to protest what he called human rights violations and threats to democracy carried out by the Chavez administration. Milos Alcalay had represented Venezuela for 30 years.

"I cannot remain indifferent before the sad events in my country, the loss of many lives and the outcry of the Venezuelan people, whose political and civil rights are under threat," Alcalay said.

The opposition appealed to the Organization of American States and the US-based Carter Center, which observed the recall petition process, to reverse Tuesday's ruling denying them a vote on Chavez's rule. OAS representatives met with the opposition and election officials yesterday. The nation of 24 million people is torn between Venezuelans who say Chavez has become increasingly autocratic and those who say he speaks for the poor.