Chavez urges militia fighters to be ready to defend Venezuela’s socialist government

Chavez raises sword before militia loyalists

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged thousands of gun-toting militia troops Tuesday to be ready to fight for his socialist government, telling them that opponents may be plotting to oust or kill him.

Chavez rallied the civilian militia at an outdoor speech while marking the anniversary of a failed 2002 coup against him. Organizers estimated about 35,000 militia members in the crowd, which filled a downtown avenue in Caracas.

The president said his opponents would be defeated if they tried another coup, and he vowed to emerge again with a dominant majority in the National Assembly after September elections.

Without giving details, Chavez told the crowd that he believes some people in Venezuela are conspiring to assassinate him.

“If they were to do it … you know what you would have to do. Simply take all power in Venezuela, absolutely all, sweep away the bourgeoisie from all political and economic spaces, deepen the revolution,” he said.

He held aloft a sword that once belonged to the 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar — the inspiration of Chavez’s socialist Bolivarian Revolution movement — as he administered an oath to members of the Bolivarian Militia.

Chavez declared April 13 to be the “Day of the Bolivarian Militia,” a national day of celebration.

He called the militia, which he created, a key force to help defend the country against any threat, whether foreign or domestic.

“You should be ready to take up the arms you have there at any time and go out to give your lives, if you have to, for the Bolivarian Revolution!” he thundered.

Confetti floated through the air after Chavez arrived in a jeep waving to the crowd.

The former paratrooper officer, who is up for re-election in 2012, has recently seen his popularity slip as his government copes with a shrinking economy, racing inflation and electricity shortages.

Chavez thrives on confrontation and has repeatedly accused his opponents of trying to overthrow or kill him.