Chavez says Venezuela oil output at 1.32 mln bpd

www.forbes.com Reuters, 01.26.03, 11:10 AM ET

In Porto Alegre, Brazil, story headlined "Chavez says Venezuela oil output at 1.32 bln bpd" ... Please read in headline ... "at 1.32 mln bpd" ... instead of "at 1.32 bln bpd" ...

In para 1, please read ... "currently at 1.32 million bpd" ... instead of ... "1.32 billion bpd" ... and ... "2.6 million" ... instead of ... "2.6 billion" Corrects figures to millions.

A corrected repetition follows.

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Sunday said the country's oil production was currently at 1.32 million barrels per day, but would rise to 2.6 million within one month to six weeks.

Oil production in Venezuela, the world's fifth-biggest exporter, has been disrupted by an 8-week-old strike to demand the leftist leader resign and early elections be held. The oil industry is operating far below its usual levels of about 3.1 million barrels per day.

Chavez was in this southern Brazilian city to attend a rally of support for his besieged government at the World Social Forum (WSF), a six-day meeting of leftist intellectuals, grass-roots social groups and nongovernmental organizations.

Chavez was scheduled to hold a news conference later Sunday.