Fw: More on Venezuela

["Nello Margiotta" <animarg@tin.it>]

WORKERS STRIKE IN VENEZUELA

Chavez accuses 'economic elites'

By James Anderson, Associated Press, 12/11/2001


CARACAS - Thousands of Venezuelan businesses closed yesterday and millions
of people stayed home from work in a nationwide strike against new laws that
critics say stifle investment.

President Hugo Chavez responded by calling out troops to patrol the tense
streets and condemning ''corrupt economic elites'' he said were behind the
strike. He also accused them of conspiring with political opponents to
overthrow the government.

The 12-hour business strike appeared to further polarize politics in
Venezuela, the United States' fourth-largest trade partner in the Americas
and its number 3 supplier of oil. Domestic production was at a near
standstill, though oil production and exports were unaffected.

The strike was called by Fedecamaras, Venezuela's biggest business
confederation, whose affiliates are responsible for 90 percent of
Venezuela's non-oil production.

''Rectify!'' demanded Fedecamaras head Pedro Carmona, referring to the 49
laws his chamber considers statist, and the constitution that allowed Chavez
to decree the laws. One requires the state-owned oil company to own a
majority stake in future joint ventures with private corporations.

Banks, schools, supermarkets, and the Caracas stock exchange closed and
airlines canceled a few flights for lack of passengers. Hospitals tended to
emergencies, and the subway system and private buses operated normally.

Venezuela's largest media association, the Bloque de Prensa, joined the
protest, as did the opposition-aligned Confederation of Venezuelan Workers,
Venezuela's largest labor group with 1 million members.

Chavez took a hard line, withdrawing an offer to discuss amending the laws
he decreed last month and vowing the laws will stand for the sake of
Venezuela's poverty-stricken majority.

''I must say that my government tried to avoid [the strike]. We did
everything possible ethically. But they proposed an `immoral pact' - suspend
the laws first, and talk later,'' Chavez said. ''Nobody, and nothing, will
stop this revolution.''

Chavez countered the strike with a flourish of patriotism, hosting the air
force's annual air show over Caracas.

With each flyover of F-16 fighters, helicopters, training and transport
planes, many residents banged pots and pans from their windows in protest.
Chavez supporters responded with powerful fireworks.

Later yesterday, he inaugurated a land reform law at a rally attended by
thousands of farmers trucked in from the countryside.

The poor constitute 80 percent of Venezuela's 24 million people. The land
reform law is designed to correct a situation in which 1 percent of the
population owns more than 60 percent of the country's arable land.

Business leaders say the law violates private property rights by forcing
large-scale farmers to conform to a national agricultural strategy or risk
having their land confiscated and distributed to the poor.

This story ran on page A26 of the Boston Globe on 12/11/2001.
© Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company.