Venezuelan President Declares Victory Over Strike

www.voanews.com VOA News 02 Feb 2003, 22:41 UTC

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has declared victory over a grueling two-month national strike aimed at his ouster.

President ChavezDuring his weekly news program, Mr. Chavez said his government had secured "a popular victory" over his political foes. He again promised to punish strike organizers for attempting to destroy Venezuela.

But his opponents were far from conceding defeat Sunday, as thousands of Venezuelans across the country lined up to sign a petition demanding early elections.

Under the constitution, organizers need signatures from 15 percent, or about 1.8 million people, of the country's registered voters to call early elections.

Earlier, organizers of Venezuela's opposition strike said they will ease the work stoppage because of the damage to businesses and jobs. But, they say the strike will continue in the vital oil industry.

The opposition campaign follows an appeal by a six-nation "Friends of Venezuela" group, for a democratic, electoral solution to end the crisis. Envoys from the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Spain and Portugal are urging Mr. Chavez and his opponents to settle their differences in negotiations brokered by the Organization of American States.