The people that took the reigns of PDVSA are people with great conviction

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Wednesday, April 30, 2003 By: Jorge Marin

Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2003 13:58:59 -0400 From: Jorge Marin Jorge.Marin@pollak.com To: Editor@VHeadline.com Subject: PDVSA here to stay

Dear Editor: I have been reading Gustavo Coronel's commentaries for some time now. Many times, I have disagree and other times it has made me wonder whether he has a point. But his last editorial Explosions, anarchy and mercenaries in the new PDVSA goes beyond criticism, it is fanaticism of the worst kind.

The PDVSA that he once knew is gone, never to be return.

These people made an error of judgement when they decided to joint the strike last December. And by refusing to return to work, as ordered by Supreme Court, they in fact gave up their positions.

Their actions affected all Venezuelans and as such it should be punishable by law. That is why their leaders are flying to other lands to escape prosecution.

The people that took the reigns of this company are people with great conviction ... they are Venezuelans called out of retirement, and Venezuelans from foreign lands who have come to rescue PDVSA ... and by association the elected government. They did so while their lives were threatened, some had their cars riddled with bullets at their homes, some had daily demonstrations of fanatics outside their homes. And yet they overcame the sabotage of computer systems and equipment in order that the Venezuela's economy and democracy would not collapse.

The fact that production has reached the 2.8 million barrels a day in such a short time proved that they know what they are doing. They are all heroes in my book.

I am sorry that so many PDVSA employees lost their jobs. But it is ridiculous to think that the same people that committed sabotage be allowed to return to work. If they're truly skilled, I am sure they will eventually find work in the private sector, otherwise they were probably deadweight anyway.

I believe the facts that Kira Marquez Perez presents, as opposed to Gustavo Coronel's "facts" ... which are plain rhetoric.

Jorge Marin Jorge.Marin@pollak.com