Posted on 12/24/2002 7:23:21 AM PST by Dog Gone
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuelans spent hours searching for open banks and gas stations Tuesday after leaders of a nationwide strike seeking to oust President Hugo Chavez rejected government appeals for a truce during Christmas.
The appeal was rejected late Monday as tens of thousands of Venezuelans waved flashlights and candles outside the headquarters of the state oil monopoly in support of managers staging the strike.
``Christmas was suspended by his highness Carlos Ortega,'' Lina Ron, a pro-Chavez street activist, told Globovision television Tuesday, referring to the head of Venezuela's largest labor confederation.
Twinkling lights surrounded the headquarters of the state oil monopoly, Petroleos de Venezuela SA, Monday night as protesters sang, waved flags and chanted ``He's leaving!''
Also Monday, a grenade exploded outside the offices of the Fedecamaras business chamber, one of the groups leading a nationwide strike. There were no injuries, and police had no suspects.
Business, labor and opposition political parties called the strike on Dec. 2 to demand Chavez resign or submit to early elections.
Many businesses have reopened, but Venezuelan oil production has dropped from 3 million barrels a day to less than 300,000, contributing to a spike in international oil prices. Venezuela is the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, and a key supplier to the United States.
PDVSA President Ali Rodriguez said the stoppage has cost the company more than $1.3 billion. It will have to slash spending to make up for the losses, Rodriguez told state television station Venezolana de Television on Monday.
Rodriguez added that the government was gradually restoring production and gasoline distribution after replacing strikers at some refineries and seizing a tanker carrying 11.5 million gallons of gasoline -- enough to supply western Venezuela for two days. The tanker had been anchored offshore by its striking crew.
Strikers accuse Chavez of ruining the economy with leftist policies and running roughshod over democratic institutions.
``We have succeeded in removing this government's mask of democracy,'' said Juan Fernandez, an oil executive fired by Chavez.
Chavez has threatened more dismissals at PDVSA. Government officials have accused oil managers and the political opposition of trying to provoke a coup similar to one that briefly ousted the president in April.
Oil prices soared past $31 a barrel Monday and hit two-year highs because of the crises in Venezuela and Iraq. Venezuelan oil production has dropped from 3 million barrels a day to less than 300,000. Gasoline is scarce, disrupting transport of non-oil goods.
Thousands of Venezuelans registered Monday for a vote on Chavez's presidency being organized by the National Elections Council.
The council opened its registration rolls after accepting an opposition petition signed by 2 million people for a nonbinding referendum asking Venezuelans whether Chavez should resign. After two weeks of intense registration at centers across the country and at consulates abroad, the booths finally closed Monday.
Many students spent the weekend before Christmas playing dominoes and card games on Caracas sidewalks as they passed the time in hours-long registration lines.
``We're Venezuelan -- we always leave everything to the last minute,'' Gerardo Sanchez, a council employee, joked as he supervised a line of registrants at council headquarters under the watch of National Guard soldiers.
The council set a Feb. 2 date for the vote but Chavez has refused to accept it. Venezuela's constitution says a binding recall vote may be held halfway into a six-year presidential term, or August 2003 in Chavez's case.
The Organization of American States is mediating negotiations, but OAS Secretary-General Cesar Gaviria said Monday a solution was not close. Talks will reconvene Thursday after a break for Christmas, Gaviria said.
In Washington, the State Department urged the sides to engage in a ``very intense discussion'' to resolve a situation ``subject to rapid deterioration.''
Former President Jimmy Carter, who tried to mediate negotiations in July, also warned that, ``the current situation of scarcity of supplies and political confrontation increases the likelihood of imminent violence.''
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