Nine hurt in car bomb blast

www.heraldsun.news.com.au From correspondents in Caracas 03mar03

A CAR bomb has exploded just blocks away from a Chevron office in a Venezuelan oil field, officials said. Local firefighter chief Ali Gil said nine people, among them a local strike leader, were injured in the blast at the Maracaibo field.

The car, which was said to be "full of explosives", was parked outside the home of Antonio Melian.

He participated in the crippling oil workers' strike designed to oust President Hugo Chavez, and police described him as "a very controversial figure" in the area.

The two-month strike ended in February after slowing oil production and exports to a trickle. Production has since revived.

Wreckage from the car was thrown about 150 metres, hitting neighbouring houses, local media reported.

The attack came five days after a double blast rocked the capital, injuring four and causing damage to surrounding buildings. The bombs exploded within a 15-minute interval, first near the Spanish Embassy and then in the vicinity of the Colombian consulate.

Maracaibo is the capital of Zulia state, located about 500km north-west of the capital on the border with Colombia.