Chavez Threatens More Raids on Striking Factories

www.voanews.com VOA News 20 Jan 2003, 08:06 UTC

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has threatened to order more raids on private food producers taking part in a seven-week-old strike aimed at driving him from power.

The strike has created severe shortages of many necessities in Venezuela, including milk, bottled water, flour, and gasoline.

On Friday, government troops seized bottles of water and soft drinks from two bottling plants and distributed them to the public. And Mr. Chavez warned Sunday he will again send soldiers to raid the warehouses of private companies refusing to distribute their goods to the public.

President Chavez also said the government is winning what he called the oil war with striking workers, which has crippled the country's oil industry. He said output was recovering, but a strike leader said the industry remains paralyzed. Prior to the strike Venezuela was the world's fifth-largest oil exporter.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chavez has suggested the government might leave talks sponsored by the Organization of American States, if the opposition continues to seek his ouster through what he calls unconstitutional means.

Opposition leaders accuse Mr. Chavez of leading Venezuela to ruin with leftist economic policies that mirror the Cuban system.

In another development, President Chavez named two generals to key posts. He appointed General Jorge Garcia Carneiro, a close ally, to command the country's army and General Lucas Rincon as his new interior minister.