Venezuela National Guard troops took control of the Coca-Cola plant in Valencia

CARACAS, January 18 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Venezuelan troops seized beer and soft drink plants belonging to supporters of the 47-day strike as President Hugo Chavez threatened a crackdown on opposition media.

National Guard troops took control of the country's largest brewery and a U.S.-owned Coca-Cola bottling plant, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported Saturday, January 18.

U.S. Ambassador Charles Shapiro told Venevision he was "concerned and disappointed" at the move at the Coca-Cola plant in Valencia.

Troops also seized a warehouse full of soft drinks, accusing distributors of hoarding in order to worsen shortages brought on by the strike.

National Guardsmen said they would "liberate" the foodstuffs "for the people," in the populist style of 1960s guerrilla groups.

In a related development, Chavez said the government was preparing legal action against two television channels he accused of taking part in plotting "a coup." The authorities did not name the channels.

Prosecutors also vowed legal action against opposition ads run by some channels, charging them with fanning hatred and depicting violent strike activity to child viewers.

Chavez Warn Mediators Against Meddling

Chavez warned international mediators seeking to broker a peaceful end to the bitter strike that they must first accept his leadership.

"They must begin by recognizing a legitimate government, that there is a democratic government that I head, elected by a free people," Chavez said during his annual address before the legislature.

The offer by the "Group of Friends of Venezuela" to mediate between Chavez and opposition leaders had buoyed hopes of ending the strike that has severely curtailed the flow of crude from the world's fifth-largest oil exporter.

The group which, includes the United States, was formed at the invitation of Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whom Chavez said he would meet in Brasilia Saturday.

"If any country or group of countries, in giving their take on the situation, tries to legitimize that bunch of subversives, fascists and terrorists ... that kind of help we do not need," Chavez said.

Organization of American States General Secretary Cesar Gaviria said that he would suspend his efforts at brokering talks because of the heightened tensions in the wake of Friday's seizures.

Gaviria has been attempting to bring the two sides together since Chavez was briefly ousted in an April coup.

Since the strike began on December 2, Chavez has said he would leave office only as the constitution allows.

The president may be recalled by referendum once he reaches the half-way point of his six-year term, which for Chavez comes in August.

However, opposition leaders want to remove him with a referendum February 2.

Initially, both sides welcomed the intervention of the six-country group, which groups beside the U.S., Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Chile and Brazil.

"Excellent. It proves that Venezuela has a lot of friends and few enemies," said Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel.

"The formation of the Group of Friends ... is a great success," opposition leader Jesus Torrealba said.

The opposition coalition of political parties, labor unions and business leaders claims Chavez is leading Venezuela toward a dictatorship.

Chavez has said he is determined to break the power of what he calls a "corrupt oligarchy" that has kept 80 percent of Venezuela's 24 million people in poverty.