B.2.1.1. From the end of 2001 to April 2002 36. Between December 2001 and April 2002 a social movement arose against different policies of the Venezuelan Government. 16 The public protest gradually increased during the first three months of 2002, 17 and led to the short-lived overthrow of the President at the time, Hugo Chávez Frías. 18 B.2.1.2. April 11, 12 and 13, 2002 37. On April 11, 2002, the commanders of the Army Forces stated that they withdrew their recognition of the authority of the President of the Republic and, the following day, General Lucas Rincón informed the population that “the President of the Republic has been asked to resign and has accepted.” 19 16 IACHR. Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Venezuela, 2003 OEA/Ser.L/V/II.118. Doc. 4 rev. 1, October 24, 2003, Executive Summary, para. 4. “The political climate in Venezuela has shown a marked tendency to radicalization, which became accentuated in the early months of 2002 and culminated in a breakdown of the constitutional order on April 11, with its subsequent restoration on April 14 of that year.” Available at: http://www.cidh.org/countryrep/Venezuela2003eng/summary.htm; transcript of sessions of the “Special Political Committee to investigate the events that occurred on April 11, 12, 13 and 14, 2002,” of the National Assembly of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (file of the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 6, folios 10419 to 10450), and extract from “Los documentos del Golpe” of the Ombudsman’s Foundation (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 6, folios 10704 to 10709). 17 Cf. OAS. Resolution of the General Assembly, Declaration on democracy in Venezuela, AG/DEC. 28 (XXXIIO/02), June 4, 2002 (file of the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 2, folios 9258 and 9259); OAS. Resolution of the Permanent Council, Support for the democratic institutional structure in Venezuela and the facilitation efforts of the OAS Secretary General, OEA/Ser.G CP/RES.833 (1349/02) corr.1, December 16, 2002, Available at: http://www.oas.org/36ag/english/doc_referencia/cpres833_02.pdf; OAS. Resolution of the General Assembly, Support for democracy in Venezuela, AG/RES. 1 (XXIX-E/02), April 18, 2002. Available at: www.oas.org/consejo/sp/AG/Documentos/AGE-1-29-02%20espanol.doc; OAS. Resolution of the Permanent Council (CP), Support for the process of dialogue in Venezuela, OEA/Ser.G CP/RES. 821 (1329/02), August 14, 2002. Available at: http://www.oas.org/consejo/resolutions/res821.asp. Newspaper articles: “No fue un golpe” in “Panorama” on April 13, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 2, folio 8879); “PDVSA suspende envíos a Cuba” in “Panorama” on April 13, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 2, folio 8879); “¿Cómo se fraguó la renuncia de Hugo Chávez” in “El Nacional” on April 13, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 7, folio 11185); “EEUU conocía desde febrero los planes para derrocar a Chávez” in El Mundo” on April 16, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 3, folio 9198 and 9199); “EEUU admite que hubo encuentros con Carmona pero niega su implicación en la trama golpista” in “El Mundo” on April 17, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 3, folio 9196 and 9197); “Los ‘demócratas’ del 11 de abril y sus asesores” in “Granma” on April 25, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 3, folio 9184); “Al país se le tendió una trampa” in “El Nacional” on April 27, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 7, folio 11187); “¿Hasta cuándo?” in “Panorama” on May 7, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 2, folio 8881); “Autores intelectuales están libre” in “Panorama” on May 7, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 2, folio 8882), “Crónica de una guerra civil anunciada” in “El Universal” on May 7, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 2, folio 8883); “De verdad verdad son verdaderas” in “Panorama” on May 14, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 2, folio 8886); “EEUU abre averiguación sobre complicidad golpista” in “Panorama” on May 15, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 2, folio 8890); “Chávez: Hemos abortado un golpe de Estado” in “Globovisión” on October 6, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 4, folio 10043), and “El Presidente de Venezuela crea plan antigolpe” in “El Tiempo” on October 9, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 4, folios 10044 to 10046). 18 Newspaper article “Carmona Estanga: He sido opositor pero conspirador nunca” in “El Nacional” on May 3, 2002; “Cronología de movilizaciones realizadas por la oposición hasta el 25 de marzo de 2002 y proyecciones de las futuras manifestaciones hasta el 15 de abril de 2002” (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 1, folios 8497 to 8522); annexes sent by the Prosecutor General on the events of April 11, 12 and 13, 2002 (file of annexes to the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 1, folios 8634 to 8643 – continues in exhibit 2, folios 8644 to 8659), and publication “Verdades, mentiras y videos. Lo más relevante de las interpelaciones en la Asamblea Nacional sobre los sucesos de abril” in “Libros El Nacional,” 2002 (file of annexes to the motions and arguments brief, tome VII, folios 7809 to 7857). 19 Cf. Newspaper article “Tres Presidentes en dos días” in “eluniversal.com” of April 12, 2002 (file of the answering brief, annex 1, exhibit 1, folio 8232) and Document prepared by the Latin American Parliament, 14