Dueling demos over Chavez

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)

STORY: Supporters and opponents of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez descended on Caracas on Wednesday in competing demonstrations to mark the 55th anniversary of the fall of Venezuela's last dictator.

General Marcos Perez Jimenez was overthrown on January 23, 1958. He left Venezuela for the United States, but years later was extradited to Venezuela to face charges of embezzlement.

But few references were made to Perez during Wednesday's demos, with protesters focusing largely on Chavez.

As Chavez continued his recovery from cancer surgery in Cuba, thousands of his supporters took to the street wearing red and waving photos of the Venezuelan leader.

At the same time, in another part of Caracas, Venezuela's opposition held a separate demo. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who also serves as the governor of Miranda state, joined the rally, but did not speak.