www.vheadline.com Posted: Monday, February 03, 2003 - 3:15:51 AM By: Robert Rudnicki

Millions of Venezuelans across the country took part in the opposition-organized petition on Sunday, during which they were asked to choose one out of ten possible solutions to the current political crisis, with a constitutional amendment cutting the term of President Hugo Chavez Frias to four from six years being the preferred option for Coordinadora Democratica leaders. 

3,650 booths were set up nationwide and opposition leaders hoped several million of Venezuela's 12 million registered voters would turn up and participate, as for an amendment to be considered they need to collect signatures from 15% of these voters, around 1.8 million. 

This solution was one of the two proposed by former US President Jimmy Carter, with the other being that the opposition waits for the August revocatory referendum that is permitted within the current Constitution. 

The result of Sunday's petition is unlikely to be known for several days, but early impressions appeared to please opposition leaders, who applauded the high turn out.

www.austin360.com By STEPHEN IXER Associated Press Writer

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)--Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans signed a petition demanding that President Hugo Chavez resign, even as he defiantly claimed victory over opposition leaders whose two-month strike is weakening.

More than four million Venezuelans signed a petition calling for several initiatives aimed at ousting Chavez, including one that would cut his term from six to four years, petition organizers said late Sunday. The figure could not be verified. Tens of thousands celebrated on a Caracas highway after the petition centers closed.

The pen is our weapon,'' said Julio Borges of the opposition party Justice First. Today demonstrates that the struggle hasn't ended. It didn't end with the strike.''

Chavez, however, claimed outright victory over his foes after they agreed on Friday to ease the already-waning strike to protect businesses from bankruptcy. Those that remained closed--including factories, malls and franchise restaurants--are expected to open this week for restricted hours, strike leaders said.

They have the 'F' of failure on their foreheads,'' Chavez gloated while congratulating his government for completing four years in power Sunday. Today we crown the victory and continue with an offensive strategy.''

Labeling his opponents as coup-plotters, fascists and terrorists,'' Chavez vowed that the strike leaders would pay for the damage wreaked on the nation. They can't remain unpunished ... They must go to prison.''

The strike will continue, however, in the oil industry, where production is at about 1.8 million barrels a day, according to Chavez. Production was 3 million barrels a day in November and dipped as low as 150,000 a day at the height of the strike. Striking workers say output is now slightly over 1 million.

The most popular initiative on the petition is a constitutional amendment that would cut Chavez's term from six to four years. It needed the signatures of 15 percent of the electorate--or about 1.8 million people--and would clear the way for general elections later this year.

The opposition set up 4,000 tables nationwide Sunday to gather signatures. Even though they appeared to have gotten far more signatures than they needed, opposition leaders said they would seek more on Monday.

``We feel that they have taken our freedom to express ourselves,'' said Marisela Gaye, an insurance worker who was waiting to sign in Plaza Francia in eastern Caracas.

A popular opposition rallying ground, the plaza was filled with people waiting to add their names to the lists. Many dressed up their babies in the red, yellow and blue of Venezuela's national flag and brought dogs wearing sweaters with the same colors. The crowd frequently broke into chants of: ``It's going to fall, it's going to fall, the government is going to fall!''

A nonbinding referendum on Chavez's rule was originally scheduled for Sunday. Business, labor and opposition groups called the strike Dec. 2 to pressure Chavez into accepting the vote, but the Supreme Court suspended the referendum because of a technicality.

Government and opposition have been locked in negotiations mediated by Organization of American States Secretary General Cesar Gaviria since November, but failed to end the stalemate. What to do with the striking oil workers remains a major sticking point.

As many as 35,000 of the industry's 40,000 workers joined the strike, but most have returned to work, the government says. Chavez has fired more than 5,000 who refused.

Oil provides half of government income and over 70 percent of foreign exchange, and the oil strike has cost over $4 billion, the government estimates.

Chavez was first elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2000 with 60 percent of the vote. He promised radical change in the oil-rich South American country, where 80 percent of 24 million people live in poverty.

Chavez's opponents accuse him of driving the economy into the ground while bulldozing the country's democratic institutions. Unemployment is at least 17 percent, and a devaluation of the currency fueled 30 percent inflation last year.

www.heraldtribune.com

Opposition members celebrate after participating in a petition drive that asks citizens to sign their names in support of various measures renouncing the government of President Hugo Chavez and seeking his ouster in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, Feb. 2, 2003.(AP Photo/Leslie Mazoch)

By STEPHEN IXER Associated Press Writer

Banks, shopping malls, factories and schools opened Monday as opponents of President Hugo Chavez eased a 64-day-old strike, a day after hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans signed petitions demanding his resignation. Stores began filling up with products that had become scarce, including fresh milk, juice and bottled drinking water. Lines disappeared at banks, which restored normal working hours for the first time in two months. Universities and many schools resumed classes. Other schools held assemblies to decide whether to open this week. Strike organizers said malls and factories would open part-time. Strike leaders said the walkout would continue in the oil industry, which provides half of government revenue and 70 percent of export earnings. But lines at service stations in Caracas have diminished as the government gradually increased oil production. On Sunday, opponents signed petitions supporting several initiatives aimed at ousting Chavez, including one that would cut his term from six years to four. Organizers claimed 4 million citizens signed. The figure could not be verified. "The pen is our weapon," said Julio Borges of the opposition party Justice First. "Today demonstrates that the struggle hasn't ended. It didn't end with the strike." Chavez claimed victory over his foes after they agreed on Friday to ease the already-waning strike to protect businesses from bankruptcy. "They have the 'F' of failure on their foreheads," Chavez gloated while congratulating his government for completing four years in power on Sunday. "Today we crown the victory and continue with an offensive strategy." Labeling his opponents as "coup-plotters, fascists and terrorists," Chavez vowed that strike leaders would pay for the damage to the nation. "They can't remain unpunished ... They must go to prison." Crude oil production is at about 1.8 million barrels a day, according to Chavez. Production was 3 million barrels a day in November and dipped as low as 150,000 barrels a day at the height of the strike. Striking workers say output is now slightly over 1 million barrels. The most popular initiative on the petition is a constitutional amendment that would cut Chavez's term. It needed signatures from 15 percent of the electorate - or about 1.8 million people - and would clear the way for general elections later this year. The opposition set up 4,000 tables nationwide Sunday to gather signatures. Even though they appeared to have gotten far more signatures than they needed, opposition leaders said they would seek more on Monday. "We feel that they have taken our freedom to express ourselves," said Marisela Gaye, an insurance worker who was waiting to sign in Plaza Francia in eastern Caracas. A popular opposition rallying ground, the plaza was filled with people waiting to add their names to the lists. Many dressed their babies in the red, yellow and blue of Venezuela's national flag and brought dogs wearing sweaters with the same colors. The crowd frequently broke into chants of: "It's going to fall, it's going to fall, the government is going to fall!" A nonbinding referendum on Chavez's rule was originally scheduled for Sunday. Business, labor and opposition groups called the strike Dec. 2 to pressure Chavez into accepting the vote, but it was suspended by the Supreme Court because of a technicality. Government and its opposition have been locked in negotiations mediated by Organization of American States Secretary General Cesar Gaviria since November, but failed to end the stalemate. What to do with the striking oil workers remains a major sticking point. As many as 35,000 of the industry's 40,000 workers joined the strike, but most have returned to work, the government says. Chavez fired more than 5,000 who refused. Oil provides half of government income and over 70 percent of foreign exchange. The oil strike has cost more than $4 billion, the government estimates. Chavez was first elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2000 with 60 percent of the vote. He promised radical change in the oil-rich South American country, where 80 percent of 24 million people live in poverty. Chavez's opponents accuse him of driving the economy into the ground while bulldozing the country's democratic institutions. Unemployment is at least 17 percent, and a devaluation of the currency fueled 30 percent inflation last year.

Last modified: February 03. 2003 10:12AM

www.charlotte.com Posted on Mon, Feb. 03, 2003 STEPHEN IXER Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez declared victory Sunday after his opponents agreed to ease a two-month national strike, but thousands of Venezuelans still lined up for a petition drive seeking his ouster.

Strike organizers, who began the protest Dec. 2 to pressure Chavez into accepting a referendum on his rule, said Friday they would ease the work stoppage, already waning, this week to protect businesses from bankruptcy.

The strike will continue in the vital oil industry, where production was cut from 3 million barrels a day to 150,000 at the height of the strike.

"Today is a victorious day," the president said in his weekly television and radio program. "We have beaten once and for all a new destabilizing attempt."

But opposition leaders -- who accuse Chavez of ruining the economy with leftist policies and trying to accumulate too much power -- were far from conceding.

Thousands of Venezuelans waited hours Sunday to sign petitions at tables nationwide in support of measures seeking Chavez's ouster.

Four people were injured when pro-Chavez protesters threw stones, fireworks and tear gas canisters near two petition tables in downtown Caracas, Police Chief Henry Vivas said. A car belonging to a private, local television channel was set alight.

The opposition hopes a petition for a constitutional amendment reducing Chavez's term from six to four years will succeed, paving the way for general elections later this year.

www.miami.com Posted on Mon, Feb. 03, 2003 BY FRANCES ROBLES frobles@herald.com

SIGN HERE: Venezuelan citizens gather Sunday in Caracas for a signature drive asking them to renounce Hugo Chavez's rule. So many people headed to signing tables that a number of stations ran out of petitions. LESLIE MAZOCH/AP

CARACAS - With its leverage severely weakened with the virtual end of a two-month commercial strike, Venezuela's opposition held a massive signature drive Sunday with the anticipation of finding a legal end to President Hugo Chávez's rule.

Nearly two million signatures were required for nearly a dozen different petitions, requesting a range of options including an assembly to draft a new constitution and a recall referendum to oust Chávez.

So many people headed to signing tables around the nation that many stations ran out of petitions.

''I signed them all,'' said Rene Piñango, whose entire family signed Sunday. ``If the first doesn't work, we'll go to the second and then to the third until we go though every last one. They are the only options we have left.''

PART-TIME OPENINGS

The signature drive took place a day after civic leaders trying to oust Chávez announced that malls, schools and franchise restaurants would open at least part-time beginning today, signaling an end to the commercial portion of a 63-day strike.

While opposition leaders tried to save face by painting the strike's final steps as a goodwill gesture to international mediators here, analysts said it was the last breath of a dying cause that failed in its principal mission.

''They may be lifting the strike, but we are not lifting the struggle,'' said Julio Borges, a leading opposition legislator. ``A person can die for their country, but the country can't die for one person. We're dealing with someone who is absolutely irrational and selfish; we couldn't let the country be destroyed.''

Opposition leaders declared a strike on Dec. 2 with the goal of toppling Chávez, a leftist firebrand who has been in office since 1998.

Many Venezuelans firmly believe Chávez is instituting a quasi-communist regime that does not respect private property or the separation of powers.

He took on major sectors of the community -- labor unions, business groups, the oil industry -- until they banded together to demand his removal from office.

PHASE SAID OVER

But both sides underestimated the other's strength, and Chávez remained in office, despite the loss of $4 billion in oil revenues alone. The state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., remains on strike despite the easing of the national work stoppage.

''Today, in my opinion, we're seeing the end of a phase,'' said political analyst Alberto Garrido, author of nine books on Chávez. 'The phase of the general strike is over, whether they call it `flexibilization' or whatever name they choose to use.''

With only the oil company on strike, the opposition is now faced with coming up with their next strategy.

Lacking strong leadership and a political platform, the effort appeared to be losing steam as even striking oil workers acknowledged that the government produced nearly 1.1 million barrels of oil Friday, a third of normal.

''Today is a victorious day,'' Chávez said Sunday in his weekly TV and radio program. ``We have beaten once and for all a new destabilizing attempt, a new malevolent and criminal attempt to sink Venezuela.''

Opposition leaders insisted the strike succeeded because it brought international attention to their cause.

'FRIENDS' MEETING

A six-member ''Group of Friends'' -- the United States, Chile, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and Brazil -- now sits at the negotiation table trying to hammer out a solution to the political crisis. Sunday's petition drive was intended to guarantee signatures for whatever solution the ''Friends'' draft.

''You have to give strikers some credit. They put Venezuela in the international spotlight,'' said Miguel Diaz, a political analyst in Washington, D.C.

``I don't think the strikers lost. I think Venezuela lost.''

Special correspondent Phil Gunson contributed to this report.