Da: "Nello Margiotta" A: Oggetto: Fw: More on Venezuela Data: venerd́ 14 dicembre 2001 12.21 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.