Press
Briefing by Scott McClellan
The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
The President of Venezuela this weekend said he won't let President Bush push him around the way he pushed around Aristide, and he doesn't want the U.S. meddling in his business. What's your response?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, one, I've seen some of his comments and I'm just not going to dignify them with a response from this podium. The focus of the United States and the Organization of American States and others is on a peaceful, democratic and constitutional resolution of the political crisis in Venezuela. The United States continues to urge the Venezuelan National Electoral Council to finish its work in a timely and fully transparent manner. This is about allowing the people's voice to be heard through the democratic process. And we caution all Venezuelan parties to refrain from the use of violence and the kind of inflammatory rhetoric that may encourage it, especially at this critical point.
So we share the views of the Organization of American States, the Carter Center and the international democratic community that the recall process that has been underway in Venezuela remains the best constitutional option for achieving national reconciliation in Venezuela, and preserving Venezuela's status as a democratic society. We are increasingly concerned about the situation in Venezuela. We have some real concerns about it.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/03/20040302-3.html#7