Political analysts and security experts allege that the deployment of government soldiers against street protesters amounts to an undeclared state of emergency.

BY PHIL GUNSON
Special to The Herald

CARACAS - The Venezuelan government's deployment of soldiers against opposition street protests has drawn complaints from foes of leftist President Hugo Chávez, who say it is against the law and military regulations.

Political analysts and security experts allege that the deployments amount to an undeclared state of exception, sidestepping Venezuelan laws to throttle the opposition.

Units of the 3rd Army Division, based in Caracas, as well as military police were among forces deployed during sometimes violent antigovernment demonstrations that began Feb. 27 and lasted almost a week, leaving about a dozen dead.

In other parts of the country -- most notably the western state of Zulia -- the army also took to the streets with armored vehicles and detained several persons. Some of the detainees later complained that they had been tortured. Authorities have denied that.

`A POLITICAL WEAPON'

Information Minister Jesse Chacón said the opposition, which the government has branded as ''terrorists'' and ''coup plotters,'' is ``simply using human rights as a political weapon.''

''The army was not deployed to contain the demonstration,'' Chacón added. ``It was deployed as part of a plan in case the situation got out of hand.''

But opposition figures say the military's presence on the streets is illegal. Venezuela's system is much like that of the United States, which largely bans the military from deployments to fight crime or civil unrest.

''The constitution does not assign public security missions to the army,'' said retired Gen. Manuel Rosendo, former head of the armed forces top coordinating command, known as CUFAN.

Rosendo, who resigned in 2002 rather than carry out Chávez's orders to activate an emergency plan that would have deployed troops and armored vehicles to halt an opposition march, is now a security advisor to the opposition Democratic Coordinator.

He alleges that that plan -- known as ''Plan Avila'' -- has now been put into effect as part of a state of exception, similar to a state of emergency, ''implemented, although never formally decreed,'' as the constitution requires.

The biggest role in quelling the street protests so far has been assigned to the National Guard, whose functions do include riot control -- but only after civil authorities call for assistance.

The opposition mayor of metropolitan Caracas, Alfredo Peña, ''never requested military backup'' during the recent unrest, said spokesman Ramón Muchacho.

ARMORED CARS

Also highly visible is the Military Police, now routinely deployed not only to control political demonstrations but as part of a joint command with the National Guard, officially to combat urban crime.

Blue Military Police armored cars, sometimes mounted with machine guns, are often parked alongside metropolitan police stations.

''If someone steals your purse, what will the Military Police do? Machine-gun the mugger?'' asked Rosendo. ``Or perhaps theyll set off in pursuit in the armored car?''

The military's use of its war weapons is, in theory, strictly limited to the defense of the nation under a set of so-called ''garrison regulations.'' The deployment of ''collective weapons'' like heavy machine guns is further specifically prohibited outside wartime.

The National Guard, however, is now routinely seen patrolling with assault rifles while the Military Police usually uses submachine guns.

Government spokesmen have issued blanket denials that security forces fired any guns at all during the recent riots, despite photographs and videos showing them apparently shooting.

'ANTI-SNIPER UNIT'

Among the men filmed while firing were officers from the political police, known as DISIP, armed with assault rifles and submachine guns. They were accompanied by men in civilian clothes, heavily armed and in some cases hooded.

Chacón said this was the ''DISIP anti-sniper unit.'' Asked why some were hooded, he said they were hiding their identities from Chávez opponents who could retaliate against them.