ooops, meant to post the text as well
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=storyncid=586e=1cid=586u=/nm/20021219/wl_nm/venezuela_dc
World - Reuters
Venezuela Court Orders Oil Restart as Strike Bites
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By Patrick Markey
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's Supreme Court on Friday
ordered the temporary resumption of oil operations closed by an
opposition strike against President Hugo Chavez that has rattled
markets and caused gasoline shortages in the world's No. 5 petroleum
exporter.
Reuters Photo
Reuters
Slideshow: Venezuela
Anti-Chavez Protesters Take to the Streets
(AP Video)
Nearly three weeks into the strike, lines of several hundred cars and
trucks formed outside some gasoline stations. Others were deserted,
posting No Gas signs, as incredulous Venezuelans faced the prospect
of empty gas tanks.
The ruling applies until the nation's highest court makes a final
decision on the legality of the 18-day-old oil industry shutdown
launched by the president's foes to force him to resign. It was not
clear when that decision would be made.
Strike leaders, who have vowed to maintain the stoppage until the
president steps down and calls early elections, said they were
examining the decision. But they were clearly angry.
This is just more pressure and I think it will lead to more
confrontation, said one dissident executive at the state oil firm
PDVSA, who asked not to be identified.
The court ordered PDVSA officials to obey government instructions to
guarantee operations in the oil sector that have been virtually shut
down by the strike. Government officials swiftly welcomed the ruling.
The ruling is very clear. They have to return to work. If they don't
they face severe sanctions, Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel told
Reuters. We hope that they recognize the decision of the Supreme
Court.
Strikers who disregard the court ruling could face jail for contempt.
Chavez has vowed to fight the strike, using the armed forces where
necessary.
With Venezuela's oil output now down to less than 300,000 barrels per
day from 3.1 million bpd in November, the stoppage is costing millions
of dollars a day, strangling the lifeblood of an economy already in
steep recession.
Oil prices hit their highest level in two years on Thursday on
deepening supply shock from Venezuela while Washington readied for war
against Iraq.
CRUNCH FROM GASOLINE, FOOD SHORTAGES
Chavez, who was elected in 1998 and survived a coup in April, has
dismissed opposition calls for an early vote. The populist president,
who claims most Venezuelans back his left-wing reforms to ease
poverty, says the constitution only allows a referendum on his mandate
in August.
Struggling to restart oil exports, Chavez has sacked dissident oil
executives leading the strike and has sent troops to take over idled
state-run tankers, refineries and ports.
The government has also authorized the military to commandeer ships,
trucks and planes to keep supplies moving.
But shortages were already being felt, triggering a rush to gas
stations around the country.
At one Caracas station, drivers had slept overnight in their cars to
secure a place in line. National Guard troops and police broke up
quarrels between motorists as tensions flared over the dwindling gas
supplies.
With less than a week to go before Christmas, shoppers packed
supermarkets in Caracas to buy up thinning stocks of some basic goods
and customers lined the streets outside banks, which are operating
only during limited hours.
People are buying nervously. Some supplies got to us today, but we
have no corn flour, wheat flour, soft drinks and other basic
products, said one Caracas supermarket chain manager. If there is no
gas this will get critical.
But with even beer supplies drying up in South America's largest
consumer of lager and ales, many are preparing for a bleak Christmas.
National sports events have been canceled and television channels have
been cluttered with constant political news coverage.
We can't get beer anywhere, said Ernesto Otero, a manager of a
Caracas bar. With no baseball, no drink, no horse-racing, no
television and no football ... people are going to protest when there
is no alcohol, even more than about oil.
Venezuela has been gripped by political conflict since April's coup as
the opposition stepped up a campaign of street protests. His foes
accuse the fiery, outspoken Venezuelan leader of ruining the economy,
stirring class warfare and imposing a communist dictatorship in the
Andean nation.
Chavez has accused the opposition, an alliance of business groups,
unions and civic associations backed mainly by the middle and upper
class, of trying to destroy his self-styled revolution in favor the
nation's impoverished majority. (Additional reporting by Silene
Ramirez, Ana Isabel Martinez, Ibon Villelabeitia)
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