Chavez said Stone and Daly plan to announce the upcoming film at the Cannes Film Festival in France. He added that the two called Venezuela Sunday morning to discuss their plans.

"They've asked for our permission to announce it today in Cannes, and we've told them yes, that we're interested in that film being made," Chavez said during his weekly television and radio program.

"I think next year there could be a tremendous film going around the world by Oliver Stone and John Daly about the coup in Venezuela," said Chavez, who was forced from power by dissident military officers for two days in April 2002. He was soon restored to power by loyalists in the military amid massive street protests.

Chavez has accused the U.S. government of directing the coup, seizing on U.S. documents indicating the CIA knew military officers were plotting against him.

"Could it be that the imperial (U.S.) government is going to try to keep a movie from being filmed about the coup d'etat that they planned and directed?," Chavez said. "Let's see if they can."

U.S. officials have strongly denied involvement in the coup, though Washington swiftly recognized the leaders who briefly took Chavez's place in 2002.

Chavez, who spoke on his program from a mining plant in eastern Venezuela, said he met with Daly several months ago in Caracas to discuss the idea. He said he didn't know what title the movie would have, and did not give detail about when and where it would be filmed.