abcnews.go.com The Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela Feb. 21 —

President Hugo Chavez demanded 20-year prison terms Friday for two prominent opponents who directed a nationwide strike that devastated Venezuela's oil-based economy.

Carlos Fernandez, head of Venezuela's largest business chamber, and Carlos Ortega, leader of its biggest labor confederation, are charged with treason and other crimes for the two-month strike, which cost more than $4 billion.

Fernandez was arrested by secret police Wednesday and hauled into court Friday. Ortega went into hiding when a judge issued an arrest warrant.

"These oligarchs believed that they were untouchable. There are no untouchables in Venezuela. A criminal is a criminal," Chavez thundered during a ceremony handing land titles to peasants in Trujillo state.

He demanded a 20-year term for Fernandez, president of Fedecamaras, and for Ortega, of the Venezuelan Workers Confederation, for allegedly sabotaging the oil industry, inciting civil disobedience "and trampling the human rights of the Venezuelan people."

The treason charge carries a 20- to 26-year prison term.

Oil is Venezuela's strategic industry, and its exports were the fifth-largest in the world before the strike began Dec. 2. The strike ended Feb. 4, but Chavez's government is battling a continuing walkout in the oil industry.

Citing nationwide hardship caused by gasoline shortages, Chavez condemned Fernandez and Ortega as "terrorists" who failed to topple his government both during a brief April coup and this winter.

The tempestuous president also had a message for foreign critics. The United States, Organization of American States and other entities voiced concern that Venezuela's crisis is escalating.

"I want to remind all the governments of the world that Venezuela is a sovereign country! We are nobody's colony!" Chavez shouted.

Fernandez's arrest fueled speculation Chavez has begun a crackdown on his opponents.

Chavez won't allow strikers access to U.S. dollars under a new foreign exchange system, and he has threatened to shut down broadcast media for inciting rebellion. He also has warned he will seize private businesses and property to deliver gasoline, food and other basics.

Ruling party leader Willian Lara told the state Venpres news agency that the hundreds of strike organizers should be prosecuted "for crimes against the republic."

The labor confederation, meanwhile, said it wasn't planning another strike to protest Fernandez's arrest.

The OAS, the United Nations and the Carter Center, run by former President Jimmy Carter, have sponsored three months of talks to seek an electoral solution to Venezuela's crisis. The future of those talks was in doubt after Fernandez's arrest.

Venezuela's opposition wants early elections and collected more than 4 million signatures to back its demand. The government dismisses the petition drive; Venezuela's elections authority is in shambles.

Chavez is a former paratrooper who was elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2000 to a six-year term. He vows to distribute Venezuela's oil riches to the poor. Critics accuse him of imposing an authoritarian state and driving the economy into the ground.

web.amnesty.org AI Index: AMR 53/005/2003 (Public) News Service No: 041 21 February 2003

Amnesty International today expressed grave concern that this week's events in Venezuela -- including the detention of a prominent opposition figure and the killing of army dissidents -- could lead to a further deterioration of the human rights situation in the country," Amnesty International said.

At midnight on Wednesday 19 February, Carlos Fernandez, the President of the business association Fedecamaras, and a prominent leader of the general strike called by the opposition, was arrested by armed police agents in a restaurant in Caracas on charges including "rebellion, treason, instigation to commit criminal acts, conspiracy and sabotage". He was reportedly given access to legal counsel and his wife verified, after visiting him, that he had not been ill-treated.

Further warrants have reportedly been issued against other prominent members of the opposition who were involved in the 63-day national strike, including Carlos Ortega, head of the Venezuelan Workers Confederation (Confederación de Trabajadores Venezolanos,CTV), who has reportedly gone into hiding and claims that he fears for his safety if detained.

Although the government has denied any politically-motivated interference by the Executive in these arrests, days before President Hugo Chávez had urged judges and public prosecutors to take action against strike organisers. Furthermore, he has publicly expressed satisfaction at the arrests of what he called "coup plotters".

"The Judiciary has a key role in preventing these events from triggering an escalation of the human rights crisis," Amnesty International cautioned. The organization stated that any judicial action against the former leaders of the strike must be independent of any political interference and strictly adhere to international standards of due process, reflected in the constitution.

The arrest came only days after the deaths of three dissident soldiers and one woman last weekend. The victims, whose bound and gagged bodies were found at the beginning of this week in Caracas, had been shot dead. There were reported signs of torture on the bodies. The victims had been part of the anti-Chávez demonstration that had occupied Plaza Altamira in Caracas. The government has attributed the killings to internal feuds, while opposition figures stated publicly that the deaths were politically motivated.

"Given the Judiciary's crucial role in diffusing tensions around this case, there must be an immediate, impartial and exhaustive investigation into the killings," Amnesty International added.

"Immediate steps must be taken to protect witnesses who may be subject to intimidation given the politicised nature of the case".

An Accord Against Violence and for Peace and Democracy was signed between the government and the opposition on 18 February. The accord, brokered by César Gaviria, secretary-general of the Organisation of American States (OAS), calls for the generation of "a climate of peace and calm in the country" and for the legislature to establish a "peace commission" that would be charged with investigating the deaths that took place during the failed coup against President Hugo Chávez in April 2002.

Amnesty International reiterated its call on the government, opposition and international community to ensure that respect for human rights principles is central to the agenda for resolving the crisis.

Background

Throughout this year, political polarization in Venezuela has been threatening to lead to large-scale violence. Tension was especially intense during the 63-day national strike that ended earlier this month, which had been convened by the opposition to overthrow President Chávez. Three people were killed during an opposition demonstration held on 6 December in Francia Square in Caracas. The strike paralysed many sectors of the economy and analysts forecast that the Venezuela economy may shrink by up to 25% this year.

On 11 April 2002, a similar national strike led to acts of violence which left 20 dead. This violence in turn led to a failed coup and the temporary detention of President Chávez. On 13 April, the President returned to power after major national and international protests at the breaking of the constitutional order. Since then, there have been attempts to negotiate a solution. César Gaviria, President of the Organization of American States is currently acting as a mediator in talks between the government and the opposition.

For more background information, see Venezuela: A Human Rights Agenda for the Current Crisis (AMR 53/001/2003), published by Amnesty International in January 2003: web.amnesty.org

Public Document

For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566 Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: www.amnesty.org

For latest human rights news view news.amnesty.org

www.forbes.com Reuters, 02.21.03, 3:23 PM ET CARACAS, Venezuela, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Venezuela's strike-hit oil production rose by over 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.515 million bpd on Friday, dissident workers of state oil firm Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) said. The government, which has been struggling to restart the OPEC nation's oil sector after a strike by foes of President Hugo Chavez, says output is over 2 million bpd. On Thursday, the rebel PDVSA staff said output was around 1.4 million bpd. Venezuela had been pumping about 3.1 million bpd before the strike, which had wide support from PDVSA managers and executive, was started on Dec. 2. Chavez has since fired over 12,000 of the rebel oil staff, and vowed they will never be allowed to return. The dissident workers continue to hold anti-government rallies and say replacement staff hired to restart the industry will never restore oil production to pre-strike levels.

www.sun-sentinel.com By CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER Associated Press Posted February 21 2003, 2:54 PM EST

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Police searched for the leader of Venezuela's largest labor group Friday after President Hugo Chavez authorized his arrest on treason charges for his role in a general strike that disrupted the economy and the nation's oil industry.

Carlos Ortega, president of the Venezuelan Workers Confederation, remained in hiding after strike co-organizer Carlos Fernandez, head of the nation's largest business group, was arrested and charged with treason Thursday.

Dozens of national guardsmen in riot gear stood guard outside as Fernandez made his first appearance in court Friday. His arrest threatened to spark more turmoil in a country struggling to recover from the strike, which opposition leaders had hoped would force Chavez to resign or call early elections.

Thousands of people around Venezuela protested the Fernandez's arrest, and nine people were injured during clashes with police in the central city of Valencia.

Further protests were planned for Friday.

Opposition negotiators urged the Organization of American States, the United Nations and the Carter Center, run by former President Jimmy Carter, to send representatives to condemn the government's actions and revive talks aimed at organizing a new election.

The U.S. State Department said the arrest of strike leaders would lead to more political violence in the world's fifth leading oil-exporting nation.

President Chavez has labeled strike organizers as ``coup plotters'' and appeared unfazed by the opposition reaction to the arrest orders.

One of the coup plotters was arrested last night. It was about time, and see how the others are running to hide,'' Chavez said Thursday. I went to bed with a smile.''

Chavez, a former paratrooper who was elected in 1998 and re-elected two years later, seemed to hint at further arrests, saying judges should not ``be afraid to issue arrest warrants against coup-plotters.''

Attorney General Isaias Rodriguez said Fernandez and Ortega were the only opposition leaders wanted for arrest, but ruling party lawmaker Luis Velasquez said that about 100 more people who supported the strike, ranging from labor bosses to news media executives, could be arrested.

``More than 100 are on the list to be captured,'' Velasquez said. The existence of such a list could not be immediately confirmed.

Ortega remained at large and pledged to ``continue the fight'' while in hiding.

``The only one who has a date with justice is the president,'' the labor leader told the local Globovision TV station by telephone.

Fernandez and Ortega face charges of treason, rebellion and instigating violence for their roles in orchestrating the strike, which continues in the vital oil industry.

Labor and business leaders warned of another nationwide strike in response to the arrest orders. The earlier work stoppage cost Venezuela an estimated $4 billion.

Chavez supporters gathered near the police headquarters, where Fernandez was being held, and a downtown plaza to celebrate the arrest.

``It's what had to be done. These opposition leaders tried to destroy the country; now they must be punished,'' said Tomas Ordonez, a 49-year-old taxi driver.

eastbay.bizjournals.com 10:40 AM PST Friday 

San Ramon-based ChevronTexaco said its Colombia subsidiary, Texas Petroleum Co., and Ecopetrol, a Colombian national oil company, have signed an agreement for incremental gas production from the Guajira region in the northeastern coastal region of the country.

The agreement for the Catalina Project provides the basis for Columbia's natural gas supply and distribution through 2016. Texas Petroleum and Ecopetrol currently produce more than 80 percent of the natural gas consumed in Colombia. The gas comes from Chuchupa, the country's only offshore field, and Ballena, an onshore field in Guajira State.

Together, these fields produce on average 500 million cubic feet of gas a day. The new agreement will enable both companies to develop and produce an additional 1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves that are still in the area.

The gas produced from Catalina will be distributed mainly in the northern and central regions of the country. Gas may also eventually be exported to Venezuela if a gas pipeline project under study by both countries demonstrates the feasibility of connecting the gas-producing fields of Guajira with the Maracaibo region of Venezuela.