The Associated Press
CARACAS, Venezuela Dec. 28 -
Venezuela got some desperately needed gasoline from abroad Saturday as President Hugo Chavez claimed he was winning the battle against striking workers who have paralyzed the world's fifth largest petroleum-exporting industry.
The Brazilian tanker Amazonian Explorer arrived with 525,000 barrels of gas off the coast of the eastern state of Anzoategui, Globovision television reported. Smaller tankers were to ship the cargo little more than a normal day's demand of 400,000 barrels to several ports....
He awarded medals to troops participating in efforts to reactivate the state-owned oil monopoly. Chavez has sent soldiers to take over oil facilities and commandeer trucks to distribute gasoline. His government is seeking replacement dockworkers, tug boat and tanker crews, field hands and executives....
Oil tankers that striking crews refused to bring to port are beginning to dock, thanks to the support of the military and "patriotic" sailors, Chavez said.
"I'm sure that in a few days, or weeks, the long (gas) lines will disappear," said Chavez.
Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said new managers would soon reopen a giant refinery in the Caribbean island of Curacao to produce 200,000 barrels of gasoline per day for Venezuelan use.
But the leader of the Curacao refinery's oil workers union, Elvis Andrade, said the Refineria Isla sent its last gasoline shipment Friday and shut down. A tanker left Willemstad harbor for Venezuela carrying 170,000 barrels of unleaded gasoline.
The refinery is owned by Curacao's government but is operated by PDVSA. At full capacity, it can process 335,000 barrels of crude a day.
Scarcity has forced Chavez's government to seek international help.
Trinidad was sending 400,000 barrels of gasoline. The Dominican Republic sent rice. Colombia sent 180,000 tons of food, the agriculture ministry said.
A small black market in gasoline emerged, with vendors selling gas at five to 10 times the normal price of 26 cents a gallon. Venezuela's consumer protection agency urged citizens to report illegal gasoline sales.
"I bought 20 liters (5 gallons) from speculators for 10,000 bolivares ($7). That's a robbery, but what else can I do? I have a family to feed," said 45-year-old taxi driver David Pena.
<http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20021228_582.html> -- Yoshie
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