Venezuela's Chavez backs oil chief despite criticism/ Habrá Rafael Ramirez pa'rato en Petróleos de Venezuela

President Hugo Chavez endorsed his oil chief on Sunday despite repeated criticism from the opposition and some government supporters over his management of the industry, particularly over a lack of rigs. "In the face of so many attacks against (state oil company PDVSA chief) Rafael Ramirez, I will make clear here that Rafael will be around a good while yet in PDVSA," Venezuela's president said on his weekly TV program that he hosted from the Orinoco oil belt ( full information)/ En un Aló Presidente petrolero transmitido desde las instalaciones de Petrozuata en Anzoátegui, el presidente Hugo Chávez dio ayer un fuerte espaldarazo al ministro de Energía y Petróleo y presidente de Pdvsa, Rafael Ramírez, en medio de las denuncias de corrupción en la industria que se ventilan en la Fiscalía y en la Comisión de Contraloría del Parlamento ( información completa)