[PEN-L:33468] Fuel Shipment Arrives in Venezuela from Brazil

[Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1@xxxxxxx>]

Fuel Shipment Arrives in Venezuela
Fuel Shipment Arrives in Venezuela As President Chavez Insists He's
Winning Oil Standoff

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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