CARACAS, May 22: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday that Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone was planning to film a movie about the 2002 coup in Venezuela that briefly ousted the former army officer. Mr Chavez, a harsh critic of the United States, says US authorities were behind the botched coup that toppled his government for less than two days. US officials dismiss his accusations.

Oliver Stone, who won best-directing Oscars for Vietnam war movies ‘Platoon’ and ‘Born on the Fourth of July’, and directed a 2003 documentary, ‘Comandante’, about his meeting with Cuban President Fidel Castro, a Chavez ally, would team up with British producer John Daly, who worked on ‘The Last Emperor’, Mr Chavez said.

“Top news — two filmmakers join forces to make movie about the coup in Venezuela,” Mr Chavez said during his weekly Sunday broadcast. He said his government had given them permission to announce plans for the movie at the Cannes festival.

An alliance of politicians and dissident military officers assumed power in Venezuela on April 12, 2002, following reports Mr Chavez had resigned after more than a dozen people were killed when gunmen opened fire during a huge opposition march.

Mr Chavez insisted he never resigned and he was returned to power by supporters and loyal troops on April 14. —Reuters