For some, the strike has been a lesson in politics. Jack Barrios, who says he never really cared about Venezuelan politics before, and never watched the news or read the papers, was one of the hundreds of thousands who waited up to 10 hours in line to register to vote or update their voting information before last week's deadline. "I haven't really gone on the marches or banged pots at night. I feel voting is where I can make a difference," he says, admitting that he still does not watch a lot of TV. "It gets me really stressed out."
Mr. Barrios, an interior designer, has been out of work since the strike began - and it's starting to hurt. "I used to never think twice about going into a store and buying a pair of pants or shoes, never thought about inviting a friend for dinner. Now, forget it," he says. "I'm being very conservative with money because I don't know when work is going to start again." Not everyone, however, is on strike - even on the east side of town.
Just two blocks from the heart of the opposition's activities in Plaza Alta Mira, Super Hollywood Cleaners is one of the few busi- nesses that remain open. Owner Francesco Merola says he shut his doors the first day of the strike, but has been open ever since "because I have a lot of bills." He says the strike is especially hard on small businesses that still have to pay rent, electricity, and taxes. "I think it's a political problem, and the economy shouldn't suffer for a political problem," he says. But even though he is open, says Mr. Merola, leaning across the counter, business is bad. Everyone is out marching in T-shirts and jeans and not dressing up for work, thus not needing dry-cleaning services.***
Opposition legislator Alejandro Armas said the opposition had already proposed an international effort to mediate the dispute. The idea drew support from opposition labor leader Manuel Cova, secretary general of the 1 million-member Venezuelan Workers Confederation. "Whatever international initiative leading to an electoral solution is welcome," he said. Organization of American States Secretary General Cesar Gaviria has mediated negotiations, but there was no progress reported in talks Thursday. In Washington, the State Department urged both sides to show "maximum flexibility." Chavez said the new group would add to the efforts of the OAS and pave the way for a dialogue between the government and opposition forces. He didn't elaborate on which nations would be asked to join but said the group would include European and Latin American countries as well as OPEC members. The idea came up during talks he held with diplomats in Caracas. "I picked up the telphone and began making phone calls", he said.
His opponents prepared for the rally Friday outside a Caracas army base in a bid to enlist the military in its effort to oust Chavez. The demonstration was intended to appeal to the military with the opposition organizing three marches to converge on Los Proceres, a plaza dedicated to South American freedom fighters that fronts the army's Fuerte Tiuna. "We call on the dignified representatives of our armed forces not to stage a coup. ... Act! Join us!" said Carlos Ortega, a general strike leader and head of Venezuela's largest labor confederation.***