LABOR SITUATION IN LAKE MARACAIBO AREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R002500160001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 9, 1998
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 14, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Rele 82-004578002500160001-0(1 ,
CLASSIFICATION t'!! ; 25X1 A2
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT NO.
INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
COUNTRY Venezuela
DATE DISTR. 14 I-larch 1949
SUBJECT Labor Situation in Lal Itlaracaibo Area NO. OF PAGES 2 225Xg
PLACE 25X1A6a
ACQUIRED
DATE OF IN
25X1X6
Ret ibrary NO. OF ENCLS.
Urn 60 o (LISTED BELOW?
25X1A2g
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO. ?
1. As a result of the ,'toeion Derzo;~ritioc-inspired walkout of 17 January 1949,
one of the Major oil, companies affected in the east shore area made a survey
of labor conduct during that period on an individual worker basis. Statistics
gravel conclusively that the strife was rend-lered ineffective and ultimately
broken as a result of nonsupport on the part of the Cornnlists and firranos on
the part of the nilitary.
2. In such Corr-nniat strongholds as Dachaquero and Ilene Grande, there was little
or no work stoppage, while in Accion Democratica sectors, particularly Cabims
and Tia Juana, it was the Cor,unists who refused to walk out, or were the first
to return to work. It was reliably reported that in the oil fields of eastern
Venezuela, when news of the rake araoaibo strike broke, the rnil.itxry nrorptly
arresters all 4D leaders and agitators and went so far as to de-utize and arm
certain known. Corr-Mists to maintain order and avoid work stoppages in that area,
3. Connunist leadership in Maracaibo since the 2,lTovember 1948 revolution has
bee- shrewd. Communists have refrained frog, overt agitation and acts which
would prejudice then with the cornnanies and governnant, and as a result have not
been outlawed nor restricted in their activities other than being subjected
to certain limitations which were generally app'icablo as a result of the
temper 311spension of constitutional guarantees. As of the moment, there is
no other political body sponsoring labor in that area. As a consequence, in
any fair election, which has been guaranteed by the incumbent military government,
the Corizaunists would stand to gain as a result of labor and Accion Denocr,~tica
support.
4. While the Accion Democra.tica Party has been officially outlawed), the labor
syndicates that formerly belong+ec? to it in the Ilaratcaibo area are still organized
but with no apparent political affiliation as of the moment. Those mops,
however, are seemingly loyal to their former political connections and there is
evidence of unrest among them in the Lake ;araeaibo area. Despite the return to
work, muffled rumblings of discontent and tall; of future strikes and trouble
continue. The great bulk of the oil workers in the State of Zul.ia were members
of the Accion Deriooratiaa Party.
5. The second contributing "actor to the soo:,tlenent of the abortive ?t soinn Demo...
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CENTRAL INTELT,IGENCE AGENCY
6. Captain Ganes Calcarao, ? in charge of the East Lake military establisiv-,ent,
shares the views of his superior,* Lieut. Colonel Roberto Casanova, that it is
incumbent upon the rril itary, in the interest of the country and the prestige
of the Arr , to shoot down laborers in the even;; of another illegal oil strike.
This "could be somewhat alarming in view of the psycholo,gl of a large sector
of the laboring class in the Maracaibo oil fields. When a strike is called
loga1ly, or even illegally, as was the case in the 17 January walkout, a great
m&ny of the workers, no matter how unsympathetic or even opposed they may be,
i l remain away from their jobs until the trouble is over either as a result of
fear or intimidation. This can give a strike the appearance of being much
better organized and supported than it really is.
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Approved For Release 1999/09/09 : CIA-RDP82-00457R002500160001-0