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CCS04 - 20030118 - CARACAS, VENEZUELA : A man walks by graffiti on the wall in support of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Caracas 18 January 2003. President Hugo Chavez said 18 January he would welcome Cuban, Russian and French help in brokering an end to a 48-day strike that has paralyzed Venezuela. Chavez spoke from Brasilia, on his way to meet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. It was Lula who invited the United States, Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Chile to join Brazil in a "Group of Friends of Venezuela" to try to ease the tensions. EPA PHOTO AFPI/RODRIGO ARANGUA