In Venezuela, the National Electoral Council ruled yesterday opponents of President Hugo Chavez have fallen short in its drive to collect 2.4 million signatures to force a referendum vote on the future of Chavez. Opponents submitted 3.4 million signatures but the election council ruled that it could validate only about 1.8 million of the signatures. Another 900,000 signatures may be valid–if citizens confirm that they indeed signed the petition. Anti-Chavez protests have been taking place every day since Friday and they intensified yesterday following the ruling. The Associated Press reported that the protests intensified yesterday when opponents of Chavez yesterday hurled rocks and gasoline bombs at soldiers. Venezuelan Vice-President Jose Vicente Rangel denounced the demonstrators. He said “They are terrorists. They attack the public, fire against the forces of order and want to impede the process.” Two weeks ago Hugo Chavez accused the U.S. of being behind a 2002 coup and of continuing opposition attempts to overthrow him. Chavez said, “The Government of Washington is using the money of its people to support not only opposition activities but acts of conspiracy.”