Venezuelans return to their jobs

www.suntimes.com February 4, 2003 BY ALEXANDRA OLSON

CARACAS, Venezuela--Workers in all sectors but the vital oil industry returned to their jobs Monday--abandoning 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 in a nation that is a major supplier of crude to the United States and 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.

Venezuela's opposition still hopes to generate international 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 massive signature drive Sunday for early elections--the strike's original goal. Organizers claimed 4 million people signed the petitions, a claim that could not be verified.

Strike leaders are a mix of conservatives, leftists, business associations, labor unions and civic groups.

The strike reflected ''the disorganization of the opposition,'' said Riordan Roett, professor at Johns Hopkins University.

''It was anti-Chavez but never pro-anything. What were they going to replace Chavez with?''