Venezuelan army commandos have stormed an oil tanker and arrested its striking crew.
The move came as President Hugo Chavez vowed to break the two-week-old opposition strike that has crippled shipments by the world's fifth-ranked oil exporter.
Yesterday's takeover of the Pilin Leontanker in western Lake Maracaibo was the latest attempt by the government to regain control of ships and refineries halted by the opposition shutdown that has paralysed the oil industry.
The troops escorted aboard the Pilin Leona new crew, including a number of foreigners, to replace the strikers. The tanker is carrying gasoline for domestic use.
In a broadcast Sunday, Mr Chavez dismissed the general strike, started by his foes to press him to quit and hold early elections, as the work of what he called "a traitorous, unpatriotic fifth column" linked to foreign interests.
The shutdown involving state oil firm executives, refinery managers and oil tanker captains has cut Venezuela's oil output to less than a third and virtually halted oil exports, including shipments to the United States, the biggest client.
"I'm not going to leave here because of any pressure from a group of [oil] managers, coup mongers, fascists, businessmen or media owners," Mr Chavez. "I'm in the hands of Christ, the Lord of Venezuela. He's my commanding officer".
Mr Chavez has sacked executives in the giant state oil firm PDVSA and used troops to try to restart halted oil tankers, refineries and oil loading terminals.
His enemies - who include labour and business chiefs, rebel military officers and media owners - accuse him of ruining the economy and dragging the nation toward Cuba-style communism.