Tens of thousands march in support of striking Venezuelan oil workers
www.puertoricowow.com Sunday, February 9th, 2003.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuelans planned a second march Sunday in support of more than 9,000 oil workers fired for leading a two-month strike against President Hugo Chavez.
More than 100,000 Chavez opponents converged on a highway in Caracas on Saturday. A similar protest was planned Sunday in the state of Carabobo, 66 miles (110 kilometers) west of the capital.
"Chavez, thief! PDVSA is not yours, it's everyone's," the crowd chanted Saturday after walking from four office buildings of the state oil monopoly, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A., waving national flags and chanting anti-government slogans.
Venezuela's opposition - business groups, labor unions and leftist and conservative politicians - ended a two-month general strike in all areas but the crucial oil industry earlier this week. The strike, which began Dec. 2, was to demand Chavez's resignation or early elections.
The government claims most of PDVSA's 40,000 employees have returned to work. Strike leaders deny this, saying thousands refuse to return to their posts until Chavez rehires the 9,000 fired and agrees to an early vote on his rule. Another 900 were fired over the weekend, local daily El Universal said Sunday.
The government is gradually reviving Venezuela's oil industry, which was the world's fifth-largest supplier before the strike. The government says production is 1.9 million barrels a day, while dissident executives put the figure at 1.3 million. It was 3 million before the strike, during which it fell to a low of 200,000.
But two of the country's three major refineries are largely idle and gasoline is scarce. Motorists wait in mile-long (kilometer-long) lines outside the few service stations with supplies.
The government has spent more than US$500 million on gasoline and diesel imports since the strike began. Earlier this week, lines had dwindled with an influx of imports. Energy and Mines Minister Rafael Ramirez said gasoline supply would return to normal this week as more imports arrive and refining continues to increase.
"Venezuelans are fed up," said storeowner Carlos Herrera, 43, at the march Saturday. "While Chavez fires brave workers, the people are still suffering from gasoline shortages because he has hired a bunch of incapable mercenaries. Their only merit is being partisan to his revolution."
The strike has cost Venezuela at least US$4 billion, the government estimates. Chavez has taken advantage of the strike to drastically restructure PDVSA. He has split the oil behemoth into two units, one for eastern Venezuela and one for western Venezuela - a move designed to reduce bureaucracy in Caracas, which had been a hotbed of dissent.
Striking workers say the restructuring will weaken the company and reduce fiscal contribution in an industry that provides half of government income and 70 percent of exchange earnings.
Marchers displayed a letter of support for the oil workers to be delivered to representatives of the Organization of American States, which is overseeing peace talks between the government and opposition. They said the letter had been signed by more than 2.5 million Venezuelans.
OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria, who is mediating the talks, is backed in his efforts by a six-nation panel known as the "Group of Friends."
On Friday, Chavez warned the United States, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Spain and Portugal to recognize the "legitimate, democratic government" of Venezuela. He urged the international community not to be fooled by "lies" spread by the opposition-dominated media, whom he labeled "coup-plotters and fascists."
Opposition negotiators are demanding a constitutional amendment that would shorten Chavez's six-year term and pave the way for general elections early this year.
Chavez, who was elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2000 after pushing through a new constitution, insists foes must wait until the midpoint in his term - August of this year - before petitioning for a referendum on his rule.