Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said his government is redoubling efforts to detect assassination plots, calling US diplomat John Negroponte a “professional killer” and saying he believes enemies – including the CIA – are out to kill him.

Venezuela’s vice president has accused the United States of participating in a 2002 coup that briefly toppled President Hugo Chavez.

Venezuelan army troops enraged by the killings of 12 civilians and wounding of 110 during an opposition march rebelled against President Hugo Chavez, today, seizing key installations and airports to prevent him from leaving the country.