Posted on 12/19/2002 5:37:25 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Shrugging off a Supreme Court ruling to give up military control of the Caracas police, Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez on Thursday vowed to defend his "revolution" despite an opposition strike that has throttled the country's vital oil industry.
Chavez, who survived a coup in April and is resisting calls to resign, also vowed to purge state oil firm PDVSA from what he called "coup plotting oil elites" as he intensifies efforts to crack down on an 18-day-old strike that has blocked shipments from the world's fifth-largest petroleum exporter.
"Behind the attempt to stop PDVSA there's nothing but a new coup attempt to topple the legitimate government," the pugnacious Chavez told government sympathizers at a rally that stretched into the early hours of Thursday. "Now the time to clean up PDVSA has arrived."
Chavez made his remarks hours after the Supreme Court ordered the government to relinquish its military takeover of the Caracas metropolitan police and return the force to the leadership of anti-Chavez Mayor Alfredo Pena.
Analysts said the military takeover of the Caracas police, which helped trigger the strike, was an attempt by the government to neutralize a state armed force that has been hostile to Chavez and his leftist policies at a time when the president is fighting for his political life.
Struggling to restart exports, Chavez has sacked dissident oil executives who were leading the strike and has sent troops to take over idle state-run tankers, refineries and ports.
His threats to fire more PDVSA rebels appeared to signal a determination by the former paratrooper to carry a purge within the state's oil giant similar to the one he led in the armed forces after surviving a short-lived coup by rebel officers.
Opposition leaders, who on Wednesday announced they were extending the strike for an 18th day under the cry "Victory is ours," announced more marches, rallies and highway blockades.
Chavez has accused the opposition, an alliance of business groups, oil executives, unions and civic associations backed by the middle and upper class, of trying to topple his self-styled leftist "revolution" for the majority of poor Venezuelans.
His foes accuse the populist president of ruining the economy, stirring class warfare and imposing a "communist dictatorship" modeled on his friend's Cuban Fidel Castro.
"COUP PLOTTING OIL ELITES"
In a typically ranting speech peppered with references to Jesus, 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar and Christmas messages, Chavez on Thursday pledged before thousands of enthusiastic supporters to defend his rule, due to end in 2007, from he called a "coup plotting oil elite."
"Nobody can stop Venezuela. The people is on the street and will continue on the street, defending its revolution, defending its democracy, defending its legitimate government," Chavez said to the crowd's chants of "They Shall Not Pass!"
"I swear to you by Baby Jesus and Jesus Christ that I will be with you until the last day of my life."
The strike, now on its third week, has brought the country's oil industry to a standstill, spooked world markets and raised fears of violence in this deeply polarized nation -- which provides more than 13 percent of U.S. oil imports.
Increasing fears of a U.S. war on Iraq, coupled with the Venezuelan disruption, pushed U.S crude oil futures to more than $31 dollars a barrel Wednesday. The United States imports more than 13 percent of its oil supplies from Venezuela.
With oil output levels trickling to 400,000 barrels per day currently from 3.1 million bpd in November, the stoppage is costing the country millions of dollars every day, strangling the lifeblood of an economy already in steep recession.
Chavez, who won a landslide election in 1998 six years after leading a botched coup, refuses to resign. He says the constitution only allows for a binding referendum in August.
In a move decried by the opponents as an attack against private property, the government has authorized the military to commandeer ships, trucks and planes to keep supplies running.
Fears of shortages have sent Venezuelans scrambling to banks, supermarkets and gas stations, causing long lines.
As no side shows signs of compromise, fears of street violence are rising. More than 60 people were killed during the chaotic April coup.
The military -- often ultimate arbiters of disputes in South America -- has condemned the opposition strike as "sabotage," in a move which apparently bolstered Chavez.
The United States and other foreign governments are urging Venezuela's government and opposition to negotiate a deal on elections before the conflict escalates. Talks brokered by Organization of American States have not produced results.
Chavez states both the problem and a possible solution.
Ya gotta wonder if she's banging Hugo.It's hard to say which is in more dire need of washing if that's the case. >:o
-Eric
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