Gasoline supplies dry up in Venezuela
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Gasoline supplies in oil-rich Venezuela were almost dry as a nationwide strike entered its 18th day on Thursday, threatening to paralyze transportation and the delivery of goods and throw the country into deeper chaos. The strike is aimed at forcing President Hugo Chavez to resign or agree to early elections.
Chavez, who vows to stay in office, branded striking oil workers as traitors sabotaging Venezuela’s oil-based economy and issued a decree allowing the temporary seizure of private vehicles to ensure deliveries of food and gas.
“We must always be alert, ready to defend our revolution,” Chavez told thousands of supporters late Wednesday at a Caracas arena. He said the strikers “have aligned themselves with treason.”
Chavez, who commandeered some private truck fleets on Dec. 8 to deliver gas, expanded on that order with a decree allowing civilian and military officials to temporarily seize any vehicle that delivers gas, oil or food – including trucks, boats and aircraft – to end strike-caused shortages.
Chavez ordered inspections of businesses to determine if any were hoarding goods such as milk, rice or medicine. Those doing so could be fined. His decree, dated Tuesday and published late Wednesday, cited threats to national security caused by shortages of essential goods.
Carlos Fernandez, president of the Fedecamaras business association, said the decree “won’t be your ticket, Mr. Chavez, to become owner of our property.”
Soldiers guarded gas stations to keep them open, but 70 percent of gasoline stations in the Caracas area were empty, said Angelina Martino, president of the Association of Gasoline Retailers.
Hours-long lines formed at service stations.
“I have been at this station for an hour. Of course everyone is annoyed,” said Claudio Cedeno, a 52-year-old truck driver. “I am annoyed because they (the strikers) are creating unnecessary chaos.”
Strike leaders claim they are providing enough basic goods to meet the population’s needs even as they demand that stores, banks and businesses close and supporters block highways to stop transport.
Venezuela’s private hospitals and clinics announced they would suspend all but emergency services for an hour a day to support the strike.
Opposition leaders called the strike Dec. 2 to demand that Chavez call a nonbinding referendum on his rule. They then increased their demand to early elections – Venezuela’s constitution allows only a recall vote halfway into Chavez’s six-year term, which is next August.
Chavez, elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2000, insists that the opposition abide by Venezuela’s democratic constitution.
The president remains popular among many of the country’s majority poor, who hope Chavez will fulfill his promises of delivering economic equality to all in this oil-rich nation – the world’s fifth-largest oil producer and provider of more than 10 percent of America’s imports.
The strike has cut Venezuela’s oil production by up to 93 percent, contributing to a surge in world oil prices and stirring international concern.
Production was down to about 370,000 barrels per day – compared with a normal output of 3 million barrels, an industry source said. Juan Fernandez, who was fired by Chavez from the state oil monopoly, said production had fallen to 200,000 barrels per day.
Storage facilities are close to overflowing and most oil tankers remain moored in ports, their crews having joined the nationwide strike.
Chavez suffered a setback Wednesday when the Supreme Court ordered the government to return control of the Caracas police force to the mayor of the capital – a top Chavez opponent. The government pledged to obey the court order.
Chavez on Nov. 16 ordered the military to take over Caracas police stations, citing national security laws and accusing Caracas Mayor Alfredo Pena of failing to resolve a labor dispute. The government also noted that police officers routinely repressed pro-government demonstrations.
The ruling demonstrated the increasing independence of the Supreme Court, once considered a rubber-stamp for Chavez’s policies.
Talks sponsored by the Organization of American States have produced little progress, said Cesar Gaviria, OAS secretary-general. The United States, the European Union, Russia and other countries have urged a constitutional solution before widespread violence erupts.
There were signs of a possible settlement. A group of pro-Chavez lawmakers has 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.