Rebels re-launch Gente de Petroleo as civil sector watchdog committee

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic news Posted: Tuesday, June 10, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

While the government is busy at a Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) hearing to revoke an Appeal Court decision lifting an arrest warrant against rebel Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) executives for their role in the December-January national stoppage that brought PDVSA to its knees, rebel leader Juan Fernandez, who has just returned to Venezuela, reports that his Gente de Petroleo organization is undergoing a re-launch to convert itself into an abuse-monitoring body. 

"The group will lodge complaints and call for action against any situation that goes against freedoms, rights and defense of democracy." 

Gente del Pueblo acted as a shadow PDVSA during and in the weeks following the strike's failure ... its role has gradually fizzled out as the new PDVSA managed to get production back to normal. The group's last stand is to defend the Intesa Company that had monopolized PDVSA's computer system. 

Fernandez confirms that the recall referendum has become one of the "new" group's priorities and boasts that it will be a resounding victory for the opposition.  Referring to the TSJ hearing, he says he and his colleagues are innocent until proved guilty, warning that if Venezuelan justice, then they will internationalize the conflict. "Citizens rights have been violated because the Attorney General's Office and the 50th Control judge established arrest procedures that were illegal." 

Rebel white collar "trade  union," Unapetrol leader, Horacio Medina denies charges that the executives plan to start a political party, indicating that they do not intend to get into politics and prefer to create a network of civil sector groups (Gente del Mar, Gente del Barrio etc.) that oppose President Chavez Frias.