High Court Rules Venezuelan Oil Strike Must End

The Venezuelan Supreme Court on Thursday ordered striking oil employees to restart the nation’s paralyzed petroleum industry, issuing a temporary injunction to prevent “irreparable” damage to the economy.

The court said it would next consider whether to order the workers back permanently. It was unclear when a final decision would be issued.

The ruling “reaffirms the right of the national executive to reestablish normality and protect the integrity of our principal industry, petroleum, and of our country,” said Rafael Ramirez, the minister of mines and energy.

But after huddling with lawyers, the striking workers for the state oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, or PDVSA, announced that they wouldn’t obey the ruling, saying that it violated their constitutional rights.

“What [this decision] has done is give us a new motive to defend all of our rights -- democracy, peace and all Venezuelans’ right to liberty,” said Juan Fernandez, leader of the striking oil workers.

The ruling was one of the most serious blows yet to opposition leaders, who are demanding the resignation of controversial President Hugo Chavez and elections within the first three months of next year.

The strike, led by an opposition that includes dissident oil workers, rival politicians, businesses and unions, has crippled production in the United States’ third-largest oil supplier.

By refusing to recognize the ruling, the opposition runs the risk of appearing hypocritical and losing moral force because it spent much of the last week insisting that Chavez respect judicial orders. On Wednesday, opposition leaders demanded that Chavez immediately obey another Supreme Court ruling returning control of Caracas’ police force to the capital’s mayor, a Chavez foe.

“I hope they have a similar reaction to this ruling,” said William Lara, the president of the National Assembly and a Chavez ally. “I hope it’s a positive, proactive and respectful reaction.”

Some opposition members said that because the ruling was based on labor law, it wasn’t applicable to a political strike seeking the president’s resignation.

The opposition, which believes that the fiery leftist leader is steering the country toward communism, argues that its strike is based on a right to rebellion guaranteed in Venezuela’s constitution, rewritten in 1999. The constitution says Venezuelans “shall not recognize any regime that infringes upon democratic rights.”

The Supreme Court decision came on a day when gas shortages here were becoming critical. For the first time since the strike began Dec. 2, gas supplies in the capital were severely affected.

Car lines stretched for blocks, backing up traffic and causing havoc on major highways and streets. Many gas stations were shut, and others were rationing gas to four gallons per person.

Tension ran high as Venezuelans, used to buying some of the cheapest gas in the world, suddenly faced a black market where prices jumped 10 times.

“I could sell a gallon for $4,” said Nestor Betancourt, a 39-year-old tow-truck driver who was patrolling a congested highway Thursday rescuing stranded motorists from long lines of traffic. “I had to wait four hours just to fill up my tank.”