Venezuela on Sunday staged two major events -- a civilian march and a 10,000-strong military parade -- to celebrate the failed 1992 military coup led by incumbent President Hugo Chavez.

The streets of the capital Caracas were crammed with people during the parades.

At the rally, Chavez said the 1992 coup had "divided Venezuela's history in two," and 15 years later, the people and the military had shown the strength needed to uplift the country.

"We have brought Venezuela out of the abyss and we will push her to the heights she deserves," he said.

Citing his close ally Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Chavez called for "Fatherland, Socialism or Death!"

The 1992 coup, which left 14 dead and 53 others wounded, inflicted a two-year imprisonment upon Chavez, who was later released by then President Rafael Caldera in 1994.

Chavez has celebrated the anniversary of the incident every year since he took office in 1999.

Source: Xinhua