CARACAS -- Venezuela headed toward new confrontation as government opponents rejected a supreme court order to reopen the oil industry crippled by a general strike that headed to its 19th day Friday.

"The oil strike remains active and will not stop," Carlos Fernandez, head of the Fedecamaras Business Group and one of the top strike leaders, after the court issued the ruling Thursday.

The Supreme Court ordered that government decrees to reopen idled oil production and distribution facilities be enforced, AFP reported.

But strike organizers insisted they will defy the ruling.

"We the oil workers are willing, if that is necessary, to spend Christmas and New Year's Day in front of our factories," said Juan Fernandez, spokesman for the strikers at the Petroleos de Venezuela state oil company.

The protest has severely affected crude output and shipments from Venezuela, the fifth largest oil exporter.

This has caused serious concern in the United States, which is closely watching the strike and potential impact of events on its preparations for a possible conflict in Iraq.

The tense stand-off between the government and its opponents has triggered fears of violence.

"We are concerned about the continuation of the strikes and the demonstrations in the streets that create the possibility of violence and deep political unrest and social unrest," U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday.

"We also are worried about the fact that the oil sector is slowly shutting down, with economic consequences for all Venezuelans, but as well as others outside of Venezuela," he said.

Ali Rodriguez, who heads Petroleos de Venezuela said earlier crude production was down to one third of its normal level, while the firm's striking managers said output had dropped to 200,000 barrels a day.

Venezuela usually produces around 2.8 million barrels a day, of which it exports 2.5 million barrels.

Many gasoline stations across Venezuela remained closed and motorists waited for hours outside the few stations that remained open.

About 70 percent of service stations in Caracas and 60 percent nationwide shut down after running out of fuel, according to Juan Vaquero, who heads the Fenegas Association of Gasoline Station Owners.

But Chavez has again insisted he would not give in to the right-wing opposition and has called on the country to back him.

Chavez has deployed troops to keep oil trucks moving. Military forces also boarded oil tankers, but many crews have refused to resume work.

The government insists it can ride out the crisis.