Posted on 12/20/2002 8:47:36 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Activity in Venezuela's oil industry showed no sign of increasing on Friday despite a temporary Supreme Court ruling ordering striking employees from state oil firm PDVSA to return to work, a PDVSA executive said.
"The situation is the same; the whole thing is shut down," PDVSA Vice President Jorge Kamkoff told Reuters on Friday. He said that oil output, reduced to less than 10 percent of normal, continued to slide. Venezuela in November produced 3.1 million barrels per day.
Nearly 40 oil tankers remained anchored off Venezuelan ports without instructions from striking PDVSA staff and without certified crews to attend them, shippers said.
Venezuela's Supreme Court on Thursday ordered authorities and individuals to obey government instructions to guarantee oil operations in the world's No. 5 crude exporter, which have been severely disrupted by the strike.
Striking PDVSA workers chanted "Not one step backward" as they gathered in capital city Caracas on Friday morning in a rally to support the stoppage.
Workers wave flags during an assembly of striking executives of PdVSA, Venezuela's state-owned oil company in Caracas, Friday, Dec 20, 2002, to discuss their defiance of a Supreme Court ruling to return to work. The oil strike is part of a 19-day general work stoppage demanding early elections or President Hugo Chavez resignation.(AP Photo/Howard Yanes)
The specter of more political violence loomed as rivals filled Caracas' streets. On Thursday, at least 27 people were wounded when National Guard troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas at anti-Chavez demonstrators in the seaside city of Barcelona. The oil strike is part of a general work stoppage - now in its 19th day - aimed at ousting Chavez, who strike organizers claim has wrecked the economy and polarized the nation.
Chavez discussed the Venezuelan situation by telephone with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, according to Opecna, the official news agency of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Khatami said he hoped Chavez would be able to "put the existing problems behind him, with wisdom and patience, and with the help of the Venezuelan people," the report said.
Carlos Ortega, leader of Venezuela's main labor federation, said the walkout would continue. He referred to Chavez as a "dictator" and "criminal" and called for more protests on Friday. The walkout has cut oil exports from the world's fifth-largest oil exporter - and a key U.S. supplier - by 90 percent, and propelled global prices above $30 a barrel. Gasoline shortages were acute.
Angelina Martino, president of the Association of Gasoline Retailers, said 70 percent of gasoline stations in the Caracas area were empty. Most filling stations turned away motorists. At others, there were lines blocks long. Some motorists waited in line for more than six hours. In the western state of Tachira, authorities limited gasoline purchases to just over three gallons. State oil company president Ali Rodriguez insisted the government was working to guarantee gasoline supplies for "many days."
Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez broke into regular TV broadcasting Thursday night to appeal to the oil workers to obey the court ruling, saying the strike represented "sabotage without precedent in the history of our country." Felix Rodriguez, the oil company's production director, argued that the strike threatens national security. Venezuela is losing $40 million a day in oil export income and could be forced to tap into its $15 billion worth of foreign reserves. "We won't go to work until the government decides to hold new elections," dissident PDVSA executive Alfredo Gomez told The Associated Press.
Venezuelan and foreign tankers are idle, refineries are closed or operating at minimum levels and crews and dock workers are refusing to handle oil and non-oil cargos. In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Colin said Thursday the United States has presented some ideas to mediators for solving the crisis and expressed concern about the possibility of widespread violence.
Three people were killed and 28 wounded on Dec. 6 when unknown gunmen opened fire on an opposition rally. Strike leaders are demanding early elections, which Venezuela's constitution does not allow, or Chavez's resignation. The constitution says a recall vote may be held halfway into Chavez's term, which would be in August. Chavez has refused the demands, but there were signs of a possible settlement. A group of pro-Chavez lawmakers proposed a constitutional amendment allowing for elections next year, El Nacional newspaper reported. The amendment would cut the president's term from six to four years, said pro-Chavez lawmaker Guillermo Palacios. Chavez's popularity has plunged since his 1998 election and 2000 re-election but according to VenEconomy magazine still enjoys some of the highest approval ratings among Latin American leaders. His base is Venezuela's poor, who comprise 80 percent of the 24 million people. [End]
Venezuelan election council investigating alleged foreign donations to Chavez's political party *** CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela's national elections council said it was investigating allegations that President Hugo Chavez's political party failed to report dlrs 1.5 million in campaign donations from a Spanish bank. Council president Roberto Ruiz said Thursday that the council may present a report within 15 days. The investigation was prompted by deputies from the opposition COPEI party and by a complaint filed by Tulio Alvarez, a private attorney that has represented opposition politicians in filing corruption charges against Chavez
Alvarez accused Chavez and his campaign officers of violating campaign finance laws, El Nacional newspaper reported Thursday. Venezuelan laws require full disclosure of donations and prohibit donations from foreign business interests. Also Thursday, the Supreme Court granted ordinary citizens the right to ask the court to strip the president and other officials of immunity from trial. Previously, only the attorney general could petition the court. The court ruled on a petition filed by Alvarez, who argued that Attorney General Isaias Rodriguez should not investigate 14 criminal corruption complaints pending against Chavez. because he is a Chavez ally.***
Venezuela's Chavez Dismisses Calls for His Indictment ***Opposition leaders are now probing constitutional or court moves to unseat the fiery left-wing leader. Although the Supreme Court is still examining the accusations for merit, opposition leaders hope to indict the president for allegedly misusing about $2 billion in oil income destined for a rainy-day savings fund, the Macro-Economic Stabilization Fund or FIEM.
……. During Sunday's five-hour broadcast, Chavez also dismissed accusations he improperly took funds from Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, Spain's second-largest bank. Bank officials have denied committing a crime, but acknowledged last week the bank acted without transparency when it provided $1.5 million to the president's campaigns. The president also denied opposition charges his government hurt the economy by selling cheap petroleum to Cuba. Critics of Chavez, a close ally of Cuban President Fidel Castro, blame the president's self-proclaimed "revolution" for nudging Venezuela into recession. ***
Venezuela's Supreme Court voids judge's ruling freeing accused assassins*** CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela's Supreme Court on Tuesday overruled a judge's decision to free three men accused of homicide in the shooting deaths of opposition protesters that provoked an April coup. The court ordered a lower tribunal to arrest the men and then determine if they should be held without bail.
On July 11, Judge Norma Sandoval ruled that videotape allegedly showing the men shooting at protesters during an opposition march on April 11 was inadmissible as evidence. Sandoval ordered Caracas city councilman Richard Penalver, Rafael Cabrices and Henry Atencio released from custody. The three, all members of President Hugo Chavez's Fifth Republic Movement party, had faced homicide charges. The Attorney General's Office had argued that a television crew filmed the men firing pistols from a bridge in downtown Caracas during the march - though it didn't match victims to the alleged shooting.***
Venezuela Court Postpones Coup Ruling After Violent Pro-Chavez Riot*** CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's Supreme Court postponed until next week a final ruling on four alleged military coup plotters after police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse several hundred rioting supporters of left-wing President Hugo Chavez.
…….Government supporters had threatened to riot if the officers were not sent to trial and punished. "These coup plotters should be tried, otherwise the country is going to burst at the seams," leading pro-Chavez militant Lina Ron told reporters before the court decision was known. But the president's foes have warned that if the officers are sent for trial it could trigger an opposition backlash and inflame tensions in the armed forces, where the April coup revealed deep splits over Chavez's rule.
Supporters of the president threw bottles and fruit at government opponents, including retired military officers, who arrived at the court to support the officers. Blows were exchanged and police fired tear gas canisters, scattering the crowd and filling the courtyard outside the tribunal with gas.
Retired military officers opposed to Chavez blamed his supporters for the fighting on Wednesday. "We cannot allow a group of thieving bandits to attack civil society," retired Vice Adm. Rafael Huizi Clavier told reporters. The officers say they acted legally to briefly assume control of the country after anti-government protesters were killed on April 11 and Chavez's top military chief announced on television that the president had agreed to resign. ***
Venezuelan Supreme Court considering case against Chavez's oil treaty with Cuba [Full Text] CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela's Supreme Court is considering a case questioning the legality of an oil assistance pact with Cuba. The Supreme Court gave National Assembly president Willian Lara 15 days to show that President Hugo Chavez's government "fulfilled legal requirements" before signing the pact in October 2000, a court statement said Thursday. Opposition politicians who filed the case contend the pact is illegal because it wasn't approved by Congress. Under the agreement, Venezuelan state oil monopoly Petroleos de Venezuela sells 53,000 barrels per day of crude oil to Cuba under preferential financial terms. PDVSA executives suspended shipments during an April coup that briefly ousted Chavez because Cuba owed dlrs 142 million. After Chavez regained power, PDVSA President Ali Rodriguez ordered the shipments renewed and said the loan had been refinanced. Cuban President Fidel Castro has been among Chavez's strongest allies. PDVSA provides one-third of Cuba's oil imports. [End]
Court out from under Chavez's thumb - Chavez Backers Protest Coup Ruling ***A Supreme Court shake-up could prove difficult. The constitution requires a two-thirds congressional majority to remove a justice, and Chavez's party controls just over half of congressional seats. In 2000, Venezuela's opposition accused Chavez of ignoring his own constitution by stacking the court with allies. Since then, Chavez's hold on Congress has weakened through defections, and his popularity has dropped from 80 percent to 30 percent of voters. The Supreme Court is following suit, the Caracas daily Tal Cual editorialized. "These are the same magistrates that until very recently voted for everything Chavez asked for. Now, some of these magistrates have slipped from the under the thumb of the regime's mafia. ... It's their own creature, their very own Frankenstein's monster."***
Venezuela's Chavez Urges "counterattack" at Court Ruling *** Chavez called for his supporters to join a march for justice to the National Assembly next Saturday as a protest against the decision. The president praised members of congress who launched a probe into the top court's judges, who they accuse of corruption and favoritism. "These 11 judges that voted in favor of this decision have no morality to make any other ruling. They are immoral, and I think that there will have to be a book published with their faces, so that the people can see who they are," Chavez said.***
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