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CNN Live Sunday
Venezuelan Protesters Demand President Chavez's Resignation
Aired December 15, 2002 - 17:57 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is facing a lot of pressure to leave office. Hundreds of thousands have demonstrated against him. And CNN's Harris Whitbeck is with us now via videophone from Caracas -- Harris.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. The pressure intensified today in terms of the country's oil industry, which has been virtually paralyzed for about 15 days now as part of the opposition's bid to force Hugo Chavez to either resign or call early elections.
What has become very symbolic of the situation in the oil industry is the Belin-Leon (ph) oil tanker, which has been anchored in Lake Maracaigo (ph) for the last 15 days. That oil tanker which is carrying a lot of fuel for the Venezuelan domestic market had been under the control of a striking captain and a striking crew. And today, President Chavez ordered military commandos to board that ship to retake control of the ship and of its cargo. Now, that sparked protests by the opposition.
A flotilla of vessels, private vessels, yachts, even kayaks tried to surround the ship as it was being boarded by these military commandos. The government is now saying it is very quickly gaining control of the oil industry, but that's not what striking oil executives say. They say, and they insist, that over 90 percent of the Venezuelan oil production facilities are under the control of strikers, under the control of the opposition. And they say that the work stoppage here will continue until Mr. Chavez promises, again, to either resign or call early elections.
The opposition has been quite vocal in the last few days. Last night there was a massive rally in eastern Caracas. Hundreds of thousands of people marched down the main thoroughfare here, again demanding that Mr. Chavez resign or call early elections.
As this nationwide strike has gone forward, Fredricka, the passions in the street have been intensifying, and mediators from the Organization of American States were trying to find a negotiated solution to this conflict. Have expressed deep concern that the action on the streets might eventually lead to more violence, particularly if gasoline shortages and food shortages become more common.
You might see food riots, people trying to loot stores and businesses, and with the political tensions as high as they are, that would mean more violence on the streets. So the situation here in Venezuela tonight as we enter the 15th day of the strike is very, very delicate -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Harris. And Venezuela is a significant contributor to the world's oil supply, isn't it?
WHITBECK: That's right. It's the fifth largest exporter of oil. It's the second largest supplier of oil to the United States. About 15 percent of the U.S. domestic oil supply comes from Venezuela, so obviously Washington is very concerned about what's going on here.
WHITFIELD: OK, Harris Whitbeck from Caracas, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Resignation>
Aired December 15, 2002 - 17:57 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is facing a lot of pressure to leave office. Hundreds of thousands have demonstrated against him. And CNN's Harris Whitbeck is with us now via videophone from Caracas -- Harris.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. The pressure intensified today in terms of the country's oil industry, which has been virtually paralyzed for about 15 days now as part of the opposition's bid to force Hugo Chavez to either resign or call early elections.
What has become very symbolic of the situation in the oil industry is the Belin-Leon (ph) oil tanker, which has been anchored in Lake Maracaigo (ph) for the last 15 days. That oil tanker which is carrying a lot of fuel for the Venezuelan domestic market had been under the control of a striking captain and a striking crew. And today, President Chavez ordered military commandos to board that ship to retake control of the ship and of its cargo. Now, that sparked protests by the opposition.
A flotilla of vessels, private vessels, yachts, even kayaks tried to surround the ship as it was being boarded by these military commandos. The government is now saying it is very quickly gaining control of the oil industry, but that's not what striking oil executives say. They say, and they insist, that over 90 percent of the Venezuelan oil production facilities are under the control of strikers, under the control of the opposition. And they say that the work stoppage here will continue until Mr. Chavez promises, again, to either resign or call early elections.
The opposition has been quite vocal in the last few days. Last night there was a massive rally in eastern Caracas. Hundreds of thousands of people marched down the main thoroughfare here, again demanding that Mr. Chavez resign or call early elections.
As this nationwide strike has gone forward, Fredricka, the passions in the street have been intensifying, and mediators from the Organization of American States were trying to find a negotiated solution to this conflict. Have expressed deep concern that the action on the streets might eventually lead to more violence, particularly if gasoline shortages and food shortages become more common.
You might see food riots, people trying to loot stores and businesses, and with the political tensions as high as they are, that would mean more violence on the streets. So the situation here in Venezuela tonight as we enter the 15th day of the strike is very, very delicate -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Harris. And Venezuela is a significant contributor to the world's oil supply, isn't it?
WHITBECK: That's right. It's the fifth largest exporter of oil. It's the second largest supplier of oil to the United States. About 15 percent of the U.S. domestic oil supply comes from Venezuela, so obviously Washington is very concerned about what's going on here.
WHITFIELD: OK, Harris Whitbeck from Caracas, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Resignation>
