[L-I] Venezuela Update

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

***** BBC News World Edition
Sunday, 22 December, 2002, 01:21 GMT
Venezuelan tanker forced into port

The Pilin Leon had been sitting idle in Lake Maracaibo The Venezuelan Government has commandeered and steered into port an oil tanker, in an attempt to break a general strike that has led to severe petrol shortages.

The ship, the Pilin Leon, sailed into port in Lake Maracaibo on Saturday and began unloading its cargo of petrol.

The ship had become emblematic for the opposition, after its captain joined the strike and moored offshore, refusing to dock.

The move comes as opponents of President Hugo Chavez took part in another march in the capital, Caracas, to demand early elections.

The 20-day-old strike has crippled oil production in Venezuela - the world's fifth largest exporter of crude.

On Friday, government forces boarded the Pilin Leon and detained its crew.

On Saturday strike-breaking workers took the ship to the oil terminal of Bajo Grande.

'Victory'

Local media say distribution to petrol station in western Venezuela should take place over the next two days.

The chairman of Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, has described this as a victory for the government

The chairman, Ali Rodriguez, said the authorities would shortly move other striking tankers....

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2598241.stm> *****

***** Business News Americas
December 23, 2002
LENGTH: 229 words
HEADLINE: REGULATOR: BANKS TO OPEN AS NORMAL ON MONDAY - VENEZUELA

BODY: (BNamericas.com) - Venezuela's banks will return to their normal business hours of 9:00-16:00 on Monday after opening for half days during the last two weeks, banking regulator Sudeban director Irving Ochoa told BNamericas.

Banks have opened from 9:00 to 12:00 since December 9 because of a nationwide strike. The banks will open for a full day next week provided shopping centers, which house about 28% of bank branches, return to their normal schedule.

Only one bank, which Ochoa declined to name, has remained closed without authorization during the strike and will be fined.... *****

***** BBC Monitoring International Reports
December 21, 2002
LENGTH: 89 words
HEADLINE: VENEZUELA: RUSSIAN TANKERS CHARTERED TO BRING IN PETROL

BODY: web site on 20 December

The government has signed a contract with Russian tankers to deliver gasoline to Venezuela as a part of delayed emergency and contingency plans aimed at solving growing shortage at the gas pumps. A government spokesman says rationing will be introduced until things are back to normal.

At the pumps consumers can buy a minimum amount of gas and a special service will be set up to cover hospitals, the police and public transport.

Source: VENews web site in English 20 Dec 02 *****
--
Yoshie

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