From today’s Reuters, statements by Minister of Energy and Mines Rafael Ramirez, not exactly the words expected from a true democrat.
CARACAS, Venezuela, Aug 13 (Reuters) – Venezuelan oil workers would refuse to accept the defeat of President Hugo Chavez in Sunday’s recall referendum on his rule, Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said Friday.
Ramirez did not make clear what the oil workers would do if Chavez loses the vote. The South American country is the world’s No. 5 oil exporter and a top supplier to the U.S. market.
“Nobody will accept it. If Venezuela enters into a period of instability, well, I don’t see prices having any limit,” Ramirez told reporters.
“There is no way he will be defeated. There is no way the people would accept it, including our oil workers,” he said.
Oil prices hovered near record highs on Friday partly due to fears that the vote could end in violence and supply disruptions in Venezuela.
Venezuelans will go to the polls Sunday to decide whether Chavez, a leftist former army officer, should end his presidency. He has predicted an easy victory, but the vote could be close.
Elections for a new president would be held in 30 days if Chavez loses the recall.
The oil-rich nation has been rattled by more than two years of political unrest since Chavez survived a brief coup in April 2002. Oil prices spiked during an opposition strike at the start of last year that temporarily cut off Venezuelan crude production and shipments.
Chavez, elected in 1998, fired more than 18,000 employees at state oil firm PDVSA for taking part in the strike and replaced them with loyal workers as the government fought to recover production.
Foes accuse Chavez of increasing authoritarian rule and failing to fulfill promises to combat poverty and corruption, but he says his social reforms have helped better distribute the country’s huge oil wealth.
((Reporting by Matthew Robinson, editing by Walter Bagley; writing Patrick Markey, Caracas newsroom, Reuters)
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