www.voanews.com James Donahower New York 16 Jan 2003, 01:39 UTC

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A team of business, labor and parliament representatives leading the opposition to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez came to New York to make its case for the president's ouster.

The message Mr. Chavez's opponents delivered here Wednesday is that the president has turned away from democratic principles, promoting policies that are destroying the nation's economy.

They told the private Americas Society the current oil strike, aimed at ousting Mr. Chavez, is causing economic upheaval and triggering violent protests in Caracas and elsewhere in the country.

Economic analysts predict, as a result of the strikes, the Venzuelan economy could contract by as much as 40 percent in the first quarter of this year.

Members of the opposition say the crisis will end only with new elections which, they say, would result in a Chavez defeat. Timiteo Zambrano, a member of Venezuela's National Assembly, says negotiations are under way to set up an election.

He says all aspects of the electoral process are currently under review, but the only aspect agreed on so far is the need for free and fair elections. A technically perfect election won't work, he says, if the parties involved do not trust each other.

Mr. Zambrano says he hopes the United Nations and the Organization of American States will oversee the elections.

Carlos Ortega, president of the Confederation of Venezuelan Workers, says Mr. Chavez's adamant opposition to new elections will only extend the strike and deepen the country's economic crisis.

Mr. Ortega says that if Chavez had the support of the people, he would be more than happy to enter into a referendum or an election, but he no longer has the support of the people.

Mr. Ortega says he hopes violent confrontation can be avoided.

President Chavez himself is scheduled to discuss the crisis with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan on Thursday.

abc.net.au Thursday, January  16, 2003. Posted: 13:11:18 (AEDT)

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has sought backing from fellow Latin American leaders to resolve a six-week-old opposition strike that has crippled his country's vital oil exports. Arriving in Ecuador's capital for the inauguration of President Lucio Gutierrez, the populist Venezuelan leader branded his opponents "fascists" and "terrorists" and said he was fighting the same campaign that Jesus Christ had. "The whole world is divided," the embattled leader told a reporter in Quito. "Why do you think that Christ came to the world 2,000 years ago to fight for the poor against the powerful? We are waging this battle." Mr Chavez said he would discuss Venezuela's conflict with the region's presidents later in the day. Venezuela's opposition strike, which began on December 2, has threatened to engulf the world's number five petroleum exporter in economic turmoil and pushed up global oil prices to two-year highs. Strikers, including rebel state oil firm managers, have vowed to keep up the stoppage until Mr Chavez quits. Venezuela usually supplies about one sixth of US oil imports. Latin American leaders, including the presidents of Brazil, Peru and Chile, plan a battery of sideline meetings on Venezuela after Mr Gutierrez is sworn in. They are expected to discuss an initiative to set up a so-called "friends of Venezuela" group of regional nations to help broker an end to the standoff. The diplomatic effort aims to complement so-far fruitless talks in Venezuela by the head of the Organisation of American States, former Colombian president Cesar Gaviria, who is also in Quito and will be attending some of the meetings. "The goal of the countries grouped as 'friends of Venezuela' is to find a calm, peaceful solution which would above all satisfy the people of Venezuela," Brazil's President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said. Sympathy Mr Chavez can expect ideological sympathy from several of the presidents, including Lula - a former metalworker who is Brazil's first democratically elected leftist leader. Left-leaning Mr Gutierrez, the son of an Amazon riverboat salesman, has assured investors that he is far more financially and politically orthodox than Mr Chavez, whose foes accuse him of ruling like a dictator and of driving Venezuela into chaos. The Venezuelan opposition has cautiously accepted the "friendly nations" initiative as long as it supports the OAS negotiations. But it remains unclear which nations would be acceptable to both the Government and the Opposition. Nobel Peace Prize winner and former US president Jimmy Carter has arrived in Venezuela, where he plans to hold talks with both sides next week. Venezuela's opposition leaders, anticipating the Supreme Court will block their proposed non-binding February 2 referendum on whether Mr Chavez should quit, have started to examine alternatives in their campaign for elections. Venezuela's Supreme Court is still studying the legality of the referendum on whether Mr Chavez should step down. The Government has dismissed the poll plan as unconstitutional. Mr Chavez, who was elected in 1998 and survived a coup in April, has said he will ignore the referendum if it goes ahead. It was unclear when the court would hand down a ruling. While a consultative referendum could not force Mr Chavez from power, the Opposition hopes that a decisive rejection of his Government would strengthen their legitimacy. Mr Chavez, whose reforms aim to ease poverty, accuses his opponents of trying to illegal topple him by destroying the oil sector.

abc.net.au Thursday, January  16, 2003. Posted: 13:11:18 (AEDT)

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has sought backing from fellow Latin American leaders to resolve a six-week-old opposition strike that has crippled his country's vital oil exports. Arriving in Ecuador's capital for the inauguration of President Lucio Gutierrez, the populist Venezuelan leader branded his opponents "fascists" and "terrorists" and said he was fighting the same campaign that Jesus Christ had. "The whole world is divided," the embattled leader told a reporter in Quito. "Why do you think that Christ came to the world 2,000 years ago to fight for the poor against the powerful? We are waging this battle." Mr Chavez said he would discuss Venezuela's conflict with the region's presidents later in the day. Venezuela's opposition strike, which began on December 2, has threatened to engulf the world's number five petroleum exporter in economic turmoil and pushed up global oil prices to two-year highs. Strikers, including rebel state oil firm managers, have vowed to keep up the stoppage until Mr Chavez quits. Venezuela usually supplies about one sixth of US oil imports. Latin American leaders, including the presidents of Brazil, Peru and Chile, plan a battery of sideline meetings on Venezuela after Mr Gutierrez is sworn in. They are expected to discuss an initiative to set up a so-called "friends of Venezuela" group of regional nations to help broker an end to the standoff. The diplomatic effort aims to complement so-far fruitless talks in Venezuela by the head of the Organisation of American States, former Colombian president Cesar Gaviria, who is also in Quito and will be attending some of the meetings. "The goal of the countries grouped as 'friends of Venezuela' is to find a calm, peaceful solution which would above all satisfy the people of Venezuela," Brazil's President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said. Sympathy Mr Chavez can expect ideological sympathy from several of the presidents, including Lula - a former metalworker who is Brazil's first democratically elected leftist leader. Left-leaning Mr Gutierrez, the son of an Amazon riverboat salesman, has assured investors that he is far more financially and politically orthodox than Mr Chavez, whose foes accuse him of ruling like a dictator and of driving Venezuela into chaos. The Venezuelan opposition has cautiously accepted the "friendly nations" initiative as long as it supports the OAS negotiations. But it remains unclear which nations would be acceptable to both the Government and the Opposition. Nobel Peace Prize winner and former US president Jimmy Carter has arrived in Venezuela, where he plans to hold talks with both sides next week. Venezuela's opposition leaders, anticipating the Supreme Court will block their proposed non-binding February 2 referendum on whether Mr Chavez should quit, have started to examine alternatives in their campaign for elections. Venezuela's Supreme Court is still studying the legality of the referendum on whether Mr Chavez should step down. The Government has dismissed the poll plan as unconstitutional. Mr Chavez, who was elected in 1998 and survived a coup in April, has said he will ignore the referendum if it goes ahead. It was unclear when the court would hand down a ruling. While a consultative referendum could not force Mr Chavez from power, the Opposition hopes that a decisive rejection of his Government would strengthen their legitimacy. Mr Chavez, whose reforms aim to ease poverty, accuses his opponents of trying to illegal topple him by destroying the oil sector.

asia.reuters.com Wed January 15, 2003 08:54 PM ET By Phil Stewart and Patrick Markey

QUITO/CARACAS (Reuters) - A coalition including the United States and Brazil pledged on Wednesday to help Venezuela negotiate an end its political crisis and a six-week-old strike against President Hugo Chavez that has choked-off vital oil exports.

Latin American presidents meeting in Quito for the inauguration of President Lucio Gutierrez approved the creation of the "group of friends," which will sit at the negotiating table to aid so-far fruitless talks led by the head of the Organization of American States, Cesar Gaviria.

"We're looking for solution that is peaceful, constitutional, democratic," Gaviria said.

But Brazil, spearheading the group, said there was no quick fix to the bitter standoff and warned that clashes between the Venezuelan opposition and pro-Chavez militants could easily escalate without the right accord.

"There are no magic solutions. On the contrary, aiming for magic solutions could lead to more violent conflicts," said Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim.

Venezuela's opposition strike, which began Dec. 2, has threatened to plunge the world's No. 5 petroleum exporter into economic turmoil and helped push global oil prices to two-year highs. Strikers, including rebel state oil firm managers, have vowed to keep up the stoppage until Chavez quits.

U.S. oil futures on Wednesday settled up 84 cents at $33.21 as energy markets were rattled by the strike and fears of an attack on Iraq. Venezuela usually supplies about one sixth of U.S. oil imports.

Venezuela's bolivar currency, battered by political and economic uncertainty, fell 6.1 percent on Wednesday against the dollar. The economy was mired in recession even before the strike, which has cost Venezuela about $4 billion so far.

The industrial shut-down has intensified the bitter feuding between Chavez and his foes, who accuse him of driving Venezuela into economic and political turmoil with his reforms aimed at easing poverty. The opposition has stepped up its campaign since Chavez survived a brief coup in April.

BRAZIL'S DARING DIPLOMACY

The "group of friends," which will also include Mexico, Chile, Spain and Portugal, is the brainchild of Brazil's first leftist leader -- Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who took office just two weeks ago.

Lula, as the former union leader is universally known, had pitched the "group of friends" to Chavez during a breakfast on the Brazilian's first working day as president, the Venezuelan leader told reporters.

"Lula and Brazil should assume and are assuming the prominent role in the leadership of Latin America," Chavez said shortly before a closed-door meeting with the Brazilian president in Quito. "Brazil's initiative is positive, and we completely agree with it," he said.

At the same time, Chavez left little hope for negotiation. He branded his opponents "fascists" and "terrorists" and said he was fighting the same campaign that Jesus Christ had.

"The whole world is divided," the embattled leader told a reporter in Quito. "Why do you think that Christ came to the world 2,000 years ago to fight for the poor against the powerful? We are waging this battle."

Lula told reporters that his main objective wasn't to please Chavez, but to end the conflict.

"The goal of the countries grouped as 'friends of Venezuela,' is to find a calm, peaceful solution which would above all satisfy the people of Venezuela," Lula said.

The Venezuelan opposition has cautiously accepted the "friendly nations" initiative as long as it supports the OAS talks. But opposition negotiator, Timoteo Zambrano, told Reuters Monday that he rejected Brazil as part of the group.

Brazil angered strikers recently when it sent gasoline to Venezuela to help offset fuel shortages caused by the shutdown. The opposition described the move as "unfriendly."

Nobel Peace Prize winner and former U.S. president Jimmy Carter arrived Wednesday in Venezuela, where he plans to hold talks with both sides next week.

Venezuela's opposition leaders, anticipating the Supreme Court will block their proposed nonbinding Feb. 2 referendum on whether Chavez should quit, on Wednesday started to examine alternatives in their campaign for elections.

While a consultative referendum could not force Chavez from power, the opposition hopes that a decisive rejection of his government would strengthen their legitimacy.

news.bbc.co.uk Thursday, 16 January, 2003, 02:06 GMT Venezuelans now have to queue days for gas

The United States is joining a diplomatic initiative involving five other countries to find a solution to Venezuela's seven-week political and economic crisis.

Along with Brazil, Chile, Spain, Mexico and Portugal, it has set up a group called "Friends of Venezuela" to help end the country's escalating chaos.

The group will develop a proposal for early elections and back existing negotiations sponsored by the Organization of American States (OAS).

US-Venezuelan relations soured following a failed coup against Chavez

A 46-day general strike called by opponents of President Hugo Chavez seeking his resignation is threatening the country's crucial oil industry.

But our correspondent says although the country is heading towards economic collapse, Mr Chavez is refusing to give in to the opposition's demands.

A new wave of demonstrations this week involving tens of thousands of people led the president to say he would fire or jail striking teachers and take over banks if they remain closed.

Until now the US has been reluctant to get too involved in Venezuela's political turmoil.

US embarrassment

In April last year the Bush administration had its fingers burned when it appeared to accept what turned out to be a short-lived coup against President Chavez.

The coup failed, and relations between Mr Chavez and Washington - which were uncomfortable at the best of times - never recovered.

But Venezuela is becoming hard to ignore.

It is the largest foreign oil supplier to the US, and the bitter hostility between government and opposition supporters has led to talk of civil war.