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Storm over Venezuela video claim Storm over Venezuela speech claim
(about 4 hours later)
A speech allegedly delivered by the head of Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, to senior executives has triggered a political storm. Venezuela's energy minister has caused a political storm by allegedly telling state oil workers to back President Hugo Chavez or leave their jobs.
An amateur video released by the opposition appears to show Rafael Ramirez saying PDVSA is firmly behind President Hugo Chavez. The opposition released an amateur video apparently of Rafael Ramirez, also head of state oil company, PDVSA, making the remarks to top executives.
Those who are not happy with this should go, the voice in the tape adds. The opposition says the government is illegally mobilising workers to secure Mr Chavez's re-election on 3 December.
Venezuela's vice-president said the opposition was trying to distort the remarks to sabotage December's polls. Mr Chavez defended Mr Ramirez and said workers should back the "revolution".
The president, a key critic of the United States who is widely expected to win the election, said: "Of course PDVSA is revolutionary.
"[Its] workers are with this revolution, and those who aren't should go somewhere else. Go to Miami."
Investigation
The video was presented by supporters of the main opposition candidate, Manuel Rosales.The video was presented by supporters of the main opposition candidate, Manuel Rosales.
President Chavez is expected to win the election on 3 December. Here, we are backing Chavez, who is our leader, who is the leader of this revolution, and we will do everything we have to do to support out president Voice heard on videotape
'Red' company Opposition media outlets have been repeating the 14-minute video over and over again.
The BBC's Greg Morsbach in Caracas says the video is explosive because it could lead people to believe that civil servants, who by law are supposed to be politically neutral, are being pressured into taking sides in the campaign. It shows a man in the distance who resembles Mr Ramirez standing at a podium and addressing a crowd of managers.
Here, we are backing Chavez, who is our leader, who is the leader of this revolution, and we will do everything we have to do to support out president Voice heard on videotape Opposition media outlets have been repeating the 14-minute video over and over again.
It shows a man in the distance who resembles the Mr Ramirez - who is also Energy Minister - standing at a podium and addressing a crowd of managers.
The man can be heard saying that the state oil company is "red from top to bottom", in reference to the colour red used by President Chavez's supporters.The man can be heard saying that the state oil company is "red from top to bottom", in reference to the colour red used by President Chavez's supporters.
"Here, we are backing Chavez, who is our leader, who is the leader of this revolution, and we will do everything we have to do to support our president," the voice adds."Here, we are backing Chavez, who is our leader, who is the leader of this revolution, and we will do everything we have to do to support our president," the voice adds.
"Those who do not feel comfortable with that orientation, should give their jobs to a Bolivarian (a Chavez supporter).""Those who do not feel comfortable with that orientation, should give their jobs to a Bolivarian (a Chavez supporter)."
At least 18,000 PDVSA employees were sacked in 2003 after bringing the country to a standstill with a two-month long strike.At least 18,000 PDVSA employees were sacked in 2003 after bringing the country to a standstill with a two-month long strike.
So far there has been no official statement from the oil company or the or the energy ministry. Mr Rosales' campaign team says election rules prohibit the use of PDSVA and other state-run organisations for election purposes.
But Vice-President Jose Rangel said whoever wanted to make a formal complaint before the electoral authorities about the alleged contents of the tape was free to do so. The team has demanded an investigation.
Mr Ramirez denied he had broken campaign rules and said other videos would be released to remove doubts.