Two people were shot dead and two dozen were wounded on Friday when foes and supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez clashed in Caracas as the opposition stepped up street protests in its drive to force the leftist leader to resign.
Demonstrators and police ran for cover after dozens of gunshots rang out near the capital's military headquarters, breaking the uneasy Christmas calm that had settled over the streets during an ongoing 33-day-old opposition strike.

National Guard troops and police fired tear gas and shotgun pellets to stop a few hundred Chavez supporters from attacking thousands of opposition marchers, who were also forced back by troops. Confused running battles broke out as groups from both sides hurled rocks.

City health officials said two of six people hit by gunfire had died. Another person was injured by police shotgun pellets and at least 20 people were wounded by stones and objects thrown by protesters.

ELECTION CONTROVERSY
Fears over splits within the armed forces have rattled Venezuela since April when Chavez was briefly toppled by rebel generals and admirals. Top military commanders appear to back the president despite calls for popular resistance.

Nearly five weeks into the strike, the government and opposition are locked in a struggle for control of the oil industry. Chavez, who has tried to restart strike-bound state oil giant PDVSA using troops, loyal workers and retirees.

But strikers have argued it would take at least four months for operations to resume.

Talks between both sides chaired by the Organization of American States and backed by the United States have gone nowhere. Negotiations continued Friday with no result.

The opposition is demanding elections in the first three months of this year. They also want to hold a non-binding referendum on Chavez's rule on Feb. 2, hoping to illustrate how far his popularity has fallen. Chavez said on Friday the referendum still needed to be ratified by the Supreme Court, but the opposition said it would go ahead with the poll.

The president has said he will ignore the vote, saying the constitution only allows a referendum on his mandate in August -- halfway through his current term which ends in 2007.

PHOTO CAPTION
Opposition protesters run from tear gas during clashes near Fuerte Tiuna military base in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 3, 2003. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix )