Lines formed outside banks and gas stations ran out of fuel today as Venezuela's crippling strike intensified and protest leaders played down apparent concessions by President Hugo Chavez, demanding he step down.
Officials warned that disaster loomed as the oil industry of the world's fifth largest petroleum exporter ground to a halt. Facing mounting pressure, the government has expressed willingness to discuss a timetable for early elections. But the opposition again insisted the leftist-populist president should step down.
"The offer by Chavez in the face of a strike and the paralysis of the oil sector is not sincere," said political consultant Mr Alfredo Keller, adding that the government was hoping to gain time and improve its international image.
The United States, the main importer of Venezuelan fuel, has expressed serious concern over the deepening conflict and said early elections would help.
The government's proposal failed to defuse tension, and the strike, launched on December 2nd, gained strength as airline employees and long-distance bus drivers joined the protests and banks reduced their hours of operations.
Thousands of people again took to the streets in support of the strike Tuesday, notably in Caracas where they marched around an air base to mark the first anniversary of the first of four anti-Chavez general strikes.
The strike reflects Venezuela's deep polarization. Mr Chavez enjoys strong support among millions of impoverished Venezuelans, and claims anti-government forces are led by the country's elite. His opponents often describe him as a lunatic.
Mr Chavez was deposed in April following a general strike, but loyal troops restored him to power two days later. A former paratrooper, Mr Chavez himself had staged a failed coup attempt in 1992, six years before being elected president. He was again elected to a six year term in 2000.
The president claims the strike leaders are seeking to oust him again, leading to fears he might decree martial law. Government and military officials insisted the armed forces were squarely behind Mr Chavez, who deployed troops to commandeer fuel trucks, force gas stations to remain open, take over oil tankers and seize refineries.
But the head of the state oil company, Mr Ali Rodriguez, has admitted that the oil sector, which accounts for 50 per cent of the government's income and 80 per cent of foreign currency earnings, has come to a standstill.
Venezuela is the only Latin American member of OPEC and its political crisis is likely to figure prominently at a ministerial meeting of the cartel in Vienna Thursday.
AFP