Truce call to topple president

www.sundayherald.com From Christopher Toothaker in Caracas

Leaders of a 62-day-old strike aimed at forcing President Hugo Chavez from power said they would ease their industrial action this week to prevent businesses going bust .

The decision was prompted by pressure from the Group of Friends, a forum made up of the US and five other nations who are supporting efforts by the Organisation of American States to broker an end to Venezuela's political stalemate.

'We aren't going to let the government destroy the business sector and increase unemployment, then build a totalitarian model over the ashes,' strike leader Carlos Fernandez said Friday.

The easing of strike action won't affect the state-run oil monopoly Petroleos de Venezuela SA -- the world's fifth biggest oil producer. Oil production will remain stifled.

Strike leaders made the announcement after a meeting with envoys from countries involved in the Friends initiative -- the US, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Spain and Portugal.

The envoys were in Caracas to convince rivals to agree a proposal to amend the constitution, which would shorten Chavez's six-year term to four and open the way for new elections this year.

Venezuela's constitution allows opponents to request the amendment by gathering signatures from 15% of the country's 12 million registered voters. The opposition is organising the nationwide petition drive to gather signatures today , exactly two months after the strike began.

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