Oil Output Climbs; Strike May Be Eased

A two-month strike against President Hugo Chavez showed signs of waning as oil production rose and opposition leaders said schools, restaurants and malls might reopen soon.

Crude oil output reached 966,000 barrels a day, striking executives at the state oil monopoly said. That’s about a third of the pre-strike production but up from a low of 200,000 barrels.

Opposition leaders said the strike in the oil industry would continue but that shops may reopen on a part-time basis to ease frustration with long gas lines and shortages of goods that may be weakening their cause.