Venezuela marks birthday of its democracy

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans celebrated their democracy's 44th birthday in divided fashion Wednesday with an unprecedented march against President Hugo Chavez and an impassioned defense of his revolution.

Banging pots, pans and drums, more than 100,000 people marched in Caracas to protest a government they say threatens liberties gained when a military-backed popular uprising ousted Venezuela's last dictator, Marcos Perez Jimenez, on Jan. 23, 1958.

Chavez, in turn, summoned more than 100,000 people to the streets to trumpet his 3-year-old democratic revolution.

In a fiery speech that, by law, had to be broadcast by all Venezuelan radio and TV stations, Chavez accused Venezuela's independent news media of inflating the size and importance of the opposition march and of sowing "hate" among Venezuelans.

Chavez said his "march of the patriots" had defeated "the march of the filthy ones" led by an opposition "mafia."

Until last week, Chavez, a former army officer, had refused to honor the democracy anniversary, preferring instead to celebrate his own Feb. 4, 1992, failed coup attempt.

Chavez's ministers argued earlier Wednesday that the peaceful marches showed the government tolerates dissent and isn't clamping down on the news media.