Venezuelans Strike to Protest New Laws

Thousands of Venezuelan businesses closed Monday 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 and police to patrol the tense streets, and he accused “corrupt economic elites” of conspiring against his government. He blamed the media for promoting the strike and threatened to decree legislation regulating the content of news reporting.

The 12-hour business strike appeared to further polarize politics in Venezuela, the United States’ fourth-largest trading partner in the Americas and a key supplier of oil. However, oil production and exports were unaffected by the work stoppage.

The strike was called by Fedecamaras, Venezuela’s largest business confederation, whose affiliates are responsible for 90% of Venezuela’s non-oil production. Fedecamaras leader Pedro Carmona proclaimed the strike a nationwide success.

Business leaders say the new laws, including oil-sector legislation that hikes taxes and asserts majority state control over new oil projects, were passed without consultation with the private sector or workers.

Banks, schools, supermarkets and the Caracas stock exchange closed. Airlines canceled a few flights for lack of passengers. But hospitals were open, and Caracas’ subway and private buses ran normally.

Venezuela’s largest media association, 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 that they 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 declared. “Nobody, and nothing, will stop this revolution.”

Later Monday, he inaugurated a land reform law at a rally attended by thousands of peasant farmers.

The poor constitute 80% of Venezuela’s 24 million people, and 1% of the population owns more than 60% of the arable land. The land reform aims to correct the situation, but business leaders say the law violates private property rights.