Striking employees of Venezuelan state oil firm PDVSA voted today to continue a 19-day strike that has crippled the oil industry of the world's fifth largest crude exporter, despite a recent Supreme Court ruling ordering the restart of operations.
"We agree to maintain the active civic strike until President Hugo Chavez Frias is out," said a motion read by striking PDVSA executive Mr Horacio Medina at an assembly of PDVSA striking employees.
The workers agreed to the motion by a show of hands.
Venezuela's Supreme Court yesterday ordered authorities and individuals to obey government instructions to guarantee oil operations in Venezuela, which have been severely disrupted by the political strike that demands the resignation of the leftist leader.