VENEZUELA: DEMONSTRATORS TAKE TO THE STREETS AS PRESIDENT CHAVEZ FIRES THE LEADERS OF THE OIL INDUSTRY IN A BID TO BREAK AN 11 DAY GENERAL STRIKE

Record ID: 645772

  • Title: VENEZUELA: DEMONSTRATORS TAKE TO THE STREETS AS PRESIDENT CHAVEZ FIRES THE LEADERS OF THE OIL INDUSTRY IN A BID TO BREAK AN 11 DAY GENERAL STRIKE
  • Date: 11th December 2002
  • Summary: (U1)CARACAS, VENEZUELA (DECEMBER 12, 2002) (REUTERS) VARIOUS/NIGHT: OF PRO-CHAVEZ SUPPORTERS IN THE STREETS. (6 SHOTS) LV/NIGHT: OF POLICE FIRING TEAR GAS AGAINST PROTESTERS. (2 SHOTS) VARIOUS/NIGHT: OF PROTESTERS AND ARMED FORCES ON THE STREETS. (3 SHOTS) CU/MV/NIGHT: PROTESTORS SHOWING TEAR GAS CANNISTERS. MV/CU/NIGHT: OF PROTESTER SHOWING INJURED ARM. VARIOUS/NIGHT: OF PROTESTERS AND POLICE IN PLAZA. (3 SHOTS) SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ORGANISATION OF AMERICAN STATES, CESAR GAVIRIA, SAYING: "I will have to repeat that the sides are not close to finding a solution, that the discussion was useful, convenient, franc, and without a doubt the electoral theme was examined in an exhaustive manner, as also in an exhaustive manner there has been the situation in this country." MV/NIGHT: WOMAN BLOWING A WHISTLE AND HOLDING A VENEZUELAN FLAG AS PART OF THE ANTI CHAVEZ DEMONSTRATIONS. MV/NIGHT: DEMONSTRATOR HOLDING FREEDOM NOW" PLACARD. VARIOUS/NIGHT: DEMONSTRATORS BANGING POTS AND PANS IN THE STREET. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNION LEADER, CARLOS ORTEGA, SAYING: "The people have declared in a combative manner the civil disobedience until the objective has been achieved, out with Chavez-Elections now!" VARIOUS/NIGHT: OF ANTI-CHAVEZ DEMONSTRATORS BANGING POTS AND PANS IN THE STREET. (6 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 26th December 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Industry,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA68M9R45BNZS0DX09I1S8VE2H4
  • Story Text: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's government fired the leaders of an oil industry shutdown in a bid to break an 11-day general strike that has crippled petroleum exports.
    In a defiant response, oil industry strikers, who have also cut production and disrupted refineries, said they would not return to work until Chavez resigned.
    The general strike has halted exports from the state oil company PDVSA. Venezuela is the fifth-largest petroleum exporter and supplies 14 percent of U.S. oil imports. The shutdown has also closed many shops and businesses.
    The strike, which began on Dec. 2 and amounts to a battle for control of the vital oil industry between the government and its foes, has inflamed the explosive political and social conflict in Venezuela over the rule of left-winger Chavez.
    The government fired four PDVSA executives who have coordinated the shutdown, which has affected gasoline supplies, food distribution and other industries.
    "We are in a war situation, because we are being attacked, sabotaged in our oil industry," Planning Minister Felipe Perez said. "We are going to take tough measures."
    In downtown Caracas later on Thursday, police fired tear gas and shotgun pellets to disperse supporters of Chavez who threw firecrackers at the president's opponents. The rival crowds scattered and two policemen were hurt, police said.
    Venezuela's opposition leaders said the strike would continue for a 12th day on Friday.
    At a noisy meeting in Caracas, several hundred striking PDVSA employees chanted "Not one step backwards" and vowed to keep ports and refineries closed across the nation.
    Two army officers, a colonel and a major, accused Chavez on television on Thursday of dragging the armed forces into politics and of using Cuban advisers to train supporters.
    They joined more than 100 other military officers, none in command of any troops, who have declared a peaceful revolt against the president since last month. But there has been no move from the barracks to oust him, more than eight months after a coup in April that briefly toppled him.
    Fears of gasoline and food shortages have sent Venezuelans scrambling to banks, supermarkets and gas stations, causing long lines. The strike has disrupted domestic flights but most international airlines were continuing to fly to Caracas.
    The oil drought in one of OPEC's heavyweights has hit shipments to the United States, Venezuela's biggest client, at a time when Washington is considering an attack on Iraq.
    The U.S. Energy Department may loan crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to refineries suffering a shortage of Venezuelan supplies, a department official told Reuters.
    Chavez, dismissing the strike as another bid by "fascists and coup-mongers" to overthrow him, announced on Wednesday the government had managed to restart oil shipments.
    Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said this would help fill some of the more than 40 oil tankers anchored off Venezuela.
    Shipping sources reported at least two sailing on Thursday but their destinations were unclear.
    Strike leaders denied exports were restarting.
    Chavez is toughing out the strike, deploying troops to take over tankers, gasoline distribution hubs and pumping stations. "Venezuela is currently like someone who has been stabbed in the heart, but is still alive and still walking,"
    he said.
    Perez said Venezuela had sufficient international reserves, around $15.7 billion according to the Central Bank, to cover debt obligations and pay public sector wages in December.
    But he said the country would start feeling the squeeze in January and government spending would have to be cut.
    Chavez, who was elected in 1998, described the PDVSA rebels, many senior executives, as "subversives wearing ties."
    Foes of Chavez, who staged a failed coup before winning power via the ballot box, accuse him of ruling like a dictator and of trying to drag the nation toward Cuban-style communism after the model of his friend Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
    He says he is battling powerful economic and political elites who are resisting his "revolution." With handouts of land and cheap credits, he has maintained solid support from the nation's underprivileged masses.
    Chavez is refusing to resign. Talks between the government and the opposition, brokered by the Organization of American States, have so far failed to break the deadlock.
    The Venezuelan turmoil has sent shock waves through energy markets. U.S. oil futures ended 61 cents higher at $28.01.
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