VENEZUELA: Opposition recognizes strike’s ineffectiveness
www.granma.cu Havana. February 5, 2003 BY MARIA VICTORIA VALDES-RODDA —Granma International staff writer—
• AFTER two months of trying to bring down Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, the country’s opposition released an official communiqué on Sunday, February 2 announcing an end to the so-called strike, but not before insisting on other anti-governmental actions, including new elections by mid-2003.
The opposition alliance Coordinadora Democrática (CD) acknowledged the ineffectiveness of the strike given that it has been unable to oust Chávez from power before the end of his term in 2006.
According to press cables from various international agencies, on Monday, February 3 in Caracas — the nation’s capital and the center of the controversy — commercial sectors re-opened as did banks, and private elementary and high schools.
Froilán Barrios, a member of the Confederation of Venezuelan Workers (CTV) leadership whose group participated in the strike along with the CD, told AP that "it’s understandable that people would want to re-open their businesses after two months of strikes," but confirmed that opening times would be restricted, which he described as part of the new anti-Chávez strategy.
However, in Venezuela and abroad attention is mainly focused on evaluating the drop in oil exports due to the recent crisis provoked by the opposition forces’ sabotage of the country’s most productive sector and the world’s fifth largest exporter of crude.
NORMALIZATION MEASURES FOR INTERNAL MARKETS
Rafael Gómez, public relations manager for the Petroleos de Venezuela Corporation (PDVSA), told Prensa Latina that the company plans to import 12 million barrels of oil during the month of February in an effort to slowly reestablish gasoline distribution for the internal market.
Similarly, he revealed that the PDVSA is "on the right track and advancing in refinery production, and imports will cover more than 50 days of regular consumption, in order to constitute, as Gómez himself stated, "a strong blow to speculators who are currently hoarding it to resell at inflated prices."
Trinidad and Tobago and other Caribbean countries, as well as Saudi Arabia and the United States, are among the providers.
A recent PDVSA report confirmed losses of over $1.35 billion USD due to its activities being paralyzed since December 2, 2002.
News agencies AFP and EFE published comments from the current PDVSA administration stating that production in refineries under its jurisdiction would return to pre-crisis levels and it is counting on staff support for this.
During a speech on Sunday February 2, Chávez qualified "the reactivation of PDVSA and its increased production to 1.8 million barrels per day" as a triumph for the people.
"We’ve combated and defeated the terrorist and coup plotters’ sabotage plans, and the oil industry is still in the hands of the people, now more than ever before." He then commented that more progress had been made in the past two months than in the past four years.
OTHER STRATEGIC GOVERNMENT ACTIONS
From Miraflores Palace, Chávez spoke to the nation via the radio and television microphones of "Aló Presidente," ratifying his decision to initiate a strategic offensive addressing the unavoidable issues of internal politics, economics, law, international issues and communication.
"We will strengthen, consolidate and accelerate the development of this process in the different areas of national life as a way of confronting terrorism and fascism and thus defending peace, democracy and national unity," the leader emphasized.
According to the Venezuelan leader, the new official U.S. dollar-bolívar exchange rate that came into effect on February 5 is aimed to end the ban on hard-currency dealings, a measure that was imposed to stop the dollar’s flight abroad.
That situation was caused by individuals "trying to destabilize the nation’s financial system," he commented.
Notimex reported that in line with the financial panorama, the Venezuelan government is planning to enforce the constitutional obligation placed on banks to invest part of their credits in agriculture and to reaffirm the state role of assigning foreign currency to national companies for their imports and payments, giving preference to those in favor of economic development.
YEAR OF THE REVOLUTIONARY OFFENSIVE
In another public speech early this month, Chávez qualified as excellent "the statement by countries in the Friends of Venezuela Group calling for solution to the political crisis within the constitutional framework," ANSA reported.
Likewise, during his "Aló Presidente program," Chávez pointed to similarities in foreign and national positions, adding: "I urge that any country wishing to help Venezuela starts by recognizing that we have a legitimate government here."
The leader later highlighted that "none of these countries can accept the president of a Republic being treated disrespectfully, or his/her authority not being recognized, and this refers both to the president and to state institutions."
He asked his opponents to abandon their hope that someone from "outside" could change the will of the people.
In terms of the huge popular support for Chávez’ leadership, marches in favor of the Bolivarian process took place all last week.