Venezuelans returning to work - Strike leaders still aim for early vote

www.timesdispatch.com THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Feb 04, 2003

CARACAS, Venezuela - Workers in all sectors but the oil industry returned to their jobs yesterday. They abandoned a two-month general strike that devastated Venezuela's economy but failed to oust President Hugo Chavez.

As life began returning to normal in stores, factories and banks, the government made gains toward restoring oil production to pre-strike levels. The nation is a major supplier of crude to the United States and is the world's fifth-largest petroleum exporter.

The fear of bankruptcy and shortages of gasoline and other essentials prompted leaders to end the strike, which began Dec. 2, said Albis Munoz, vice president of the country's biggest business chamber, Fedecamaras.

Chavez, elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2000, vows to defeat his opponents in the streets and at the ballot box. He said Sunday that he will prosecute strike leaders for sabotaging the economy.

Venezuela's opposition still hopes to generate pressure for new elections.

The United States, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Spain and Portugal joined the Organization of American States in mediating 3-month-old talks. Over Chavez's objections, they endorsed an early election.

Seeking to capitalize on the strike's momentum, the opposition organized a signature drive Sunday for early elections, the strike's original goal. Organizers said 4 million people signed petitions; the claim could not be verified.

Strike leaders are a mix of conservatives, leftists, business associations, labor unions and civic groups. Their petitions reflected their various agendas.

One called for a constitutional amendment declaring Chavez's term over. Another would cut his term from six years to four, allowing early elections. A third would create a constituent assembly to rewrite the constitution.

Yet another option: a binding referendum halfway into Chavez's term, or in August, as permitted by the constitution. That idea was supported recently by former President Jimmy Carter.

Chavez says he prefers the August option - a referendum he could win because the opposition has yet to present an alternative to his populist "revolution" for the poor.

The strike reflected "disorganization of the opposition," said Riordan Roett, director of Western Hemisphere studies at Johns Hopkins University. "It was anti-Chavez but never pro-anything. What were they going to replace Chavez with?"

The Supreme Court ruled last month that the Chavez-dominated Congress must appoint a new board of directors for the National Elections Council. Without a council, no one can verify the signatures collected Sunday.

According to the Fedeindustria business chamber, the fallout from the strike and ongoing recession will cost 200,000 jobs and close more than 20,000 small and medium-size businesses by August.