Anti-Chavez protests planned

Shangai Daily english.eastday.com

Venezuela's capital braced for a series of anti-government demonstrations planned for yesterday, the 28th day of a general strike which has caused severe fuel shortages in the world's fifth largest oil exporter.

Seeking the resignation of President Hugo Chavez and early elections, Chavez' opponents called for nine marches throughout Caracas.

Demonstrators will then converge in what is being billed as "the great victory rally," according to Antonio Ledezma of the Democratic Coordinator political movement.

The work stoppage began on December 2 to demand Chavez accept a nonbinding referendum on his rule. Strike leaders vow to continue a civil disobedience campaign.

The strike - led by Venezuela's largest labor union, business chamber, and workers at the state-owned oil monopoly Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., or PDVSA - has reduced oil exports from 3 million barrels a day to 160,000 barrels, virtually evaporating the country's gasoline supplies.

Long lines formed for gasoline on Saturday. Some motorists protested by blocking the Pan-American Highway outside Caracas.

The oil-rich nation is seeking food and fuel abroad.

It received its first foreign shipment of gasolinem on Saturday, with the Brazilian tanker Amazonian Explorer delivering 525,000 barrels, barely more than a normal day's demand.

Trinidad and Tobago is sending 400,000 barrels of gasoline. The Dominican Republic sent rice and Colombia sent 180,000 tons of food.

Opposition leaders accuse Chavez of sending the country into its worst recession in years and trying to impose a Cuban-style revolution. Chavez insists he wants to distribute Venezuela's oil wealth to the majority poor.

Handing out medals to soldiers, industry workers and merchant mariners who refused to join the work stoppage, Chavez insisted the strike was failing.