Rival demonstrations held to commemorate Venezuela killings

Caracas: Government supporters and foes held rival demonstrations in Venezuela on Friday to commemorate 19 people killed six years ago in the run-up to a coup that briefly toppled President Hugo Chavez.

Several hundred Chavez backers joined ruling party lawmakers for a special congressional session at Llaguno Bridge, the epicentre of the April 11, 2002, killings that prompted dissident generals to rebel the following day.

Fighter jets roared across the Caracas skyline as activist Serapio Damas warned government foes could again attempt to unseat the socialist president. He said, "Be alert and organise the people, because the danger remains."

Both allies and adversaries of Chavez were among the 19 victims killed six years ago as an opposition march led by police approached a pro-Chavez demonstration in downtown Caracas.

Government foes blame the violence on National Guard troops and "Chavistas" who were filmed shooting from a bridge. Chavez backers say the police were responsible.

Across town on Friday, about 50 opposition sympathisers accused the government of pressuring prosecutors to keep behind bars 11 police officers accused of spearheading the coup.