On Saturday [13 April]--two days aftr Chavez had been removed from power by a military coup--thousands of supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took to the streets, and after occupying the Presidential palace, they returned him to power. We asked Ali Kianushrad, member of the Majles National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, to state his views on the recent developments in Venezuela, Chavez's removal, and his return to power. 
	
	
 Question: How do you assess the sudden downfall and more sudden return of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela? 
	
	
 Answer: The Venezuelan experience during the past few days showed that regimes that are based on the votes and support of the masses and adopt relatively independent policies toward the big powers and especially America are not favored by the American leadership. The Americans' hasty and immediate support for the coup shows that the Americans are in no way in favor of national and independent rules coming to power. 
	
	
 Also, the Venezuelan President's return to power once again showed that if rulers are endorsed and supported by the people, the people's determination can affect decisions and that the people's presence on the scene can prevent rules and decisions with which they totally disagree. 
	
	
 Question: How do you assess Iran's reaction to the overthrow of the Chavez Government and to his return--something on which the Foreign Ministry issued a statement? 
	
	
 Answer: We have good relations with Venezuela, and there was no reason for us to be satisfied in any way with the overthrow the rule there, especially when the Venezuelan regime's policies enjoy the extensive support of the Venezuelan people and when there are points un its independent policies on oil that converge with our policies and have been positively assessed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. 
	
	
 Question: Did the opposition by the Rio Pact member countries and some other countries play a role in Chavez's return to power? 
	
	
 Answer: The incidents and developments in Venezuela and Chavez's return to power were so rapid that the possibility of intervention by other powers in his return to power is very small. But undoubtedly there are basic doubts that exist about the coup and America's immediate support, and what springs to mind is the great possibility of some countries' intervention in Venezuela's domestic affairs.