Venezuela Cenbank bolivar rate falls 6.1 pct

www.forbes.com Reuters, 01.15.03, 1:35 PM ET

CARACAS, Venezuela, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Venezuela's Central Bank bolivar reference rate closed down 6.1 percent on Wednesday against the U.S. dollar as the local currency fell sharply on the 45th day of an opposition strike against President Hugo Chavez.

The rate , the overall official average calculated at the end of the trading session, slipped to 1,718 bolivars to the dollar amid heavy nervous buying of the U.S. currency and despite intervention by the Central Bank.

The rate fell 3.2 percent against the dollar on Tuesday.

The strike by opponents of Chavez, who want him to resign and hold early elections, has severely disrupted oil production and shipments by the world's No. 5 petroleum exporter.