Facing a nationwide strike planned for Dec. 10 against his autocratic rule, President Hugo Chavez has taken the offensive, planning a series of events to bolster support, even declaring Dec. 10 a national holiday as a way to explain why government workers may not appear for work that day and why throngs of people may be out on the streets. Whatever happens Dec. 10, the strike and Chavez’s response to it suggest continuing conflict between him and the opposition and business leaders, which could spill over into unrest.
