Politics
The workers of food manufacturer and distributor Empresas Polar do not understand the allegations made by Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez. "The president is wrong. He thinks that we are instructed by Mr. Mendoza (the owner of the company)," said Richard Prieto, president of the union at Polar's brewery in the state of Lara.

On Sunday, the Venezuelan head of State attacked and discredited again the actions taken in the last three weeks by Polar employees to defend their jobs.

"We are proud of what we are doing. We are defending our jobs and our collective bargaining agreement," the union leader added.

Prieto said that the Venezuelan president discredits them because he rejects anyone who thinks otherwise. "We are neither politicians, nor bourgeois."

Although voicing concern about the statements made by President Chávez against him, the union leader noted "we are afraid only of losing our jobs."

In the 359th edition of his TV and radio show "Aló, Presidente" (Hello, President!), aired last Sunday, Chávez lashed out at Prieto for a statement the union leader made in the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional, in which he said that "it would be a catastrophe if (Empresas) Polar were seized by the government".

rdeniz@eluniversal.com

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas

Roberto Deniz
EL UNIVERSAL