Caracas, Venezuela ? Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered a temporary halt Thursday to an oil industry strike that has crippled exports from the world’s fifth-largest petroleum producer and strangled domestic gasoline supplies.

The court issued the order while it considers the legality of the work stoppage, which is part of an 18-day-old general strike against President Hugo Chavez. The strike has stopped oil exports from this key U.S. supplier and sent global prices above $30 a barrel.

However, it was doubtful the court could force workers back to their jobs.

Felix Rodriguez, director of production at the state-owned oil company, asked for the court order in a motion arguing the work stoppage threatened national security. Venezuela is losing $40 million a day in oil export income and could be forced to tap into its $15 billion foreign reserves.

The court said it will hear arguments within four days. In the meantime, it ordered striking workers and executives at the state-owned oil monopoly Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., to resume work immediately.

Venezuelan and foreign tankers are idle, refineries are closed or operating at minimum levels and crews and dock workers are refusing to handle oil and nonoil cargos.

Oil production was down to 370,000 barrels per day — compared with 3 million barrels before the strike. Some oil executives fired by Chavez claim production is 200,000 barrels per day.

A spokesman for dissident oil executives said they would disobey the Supreme Court ruling. Strike leaders cite a clause in Venezuela’s constitution allowing citizens to rebel against a government they consider undemocratic.

“We won’t go to work until the government decides to hold new elections,” Alfredo Gomez said.

“I and many of my colleagues have decided that we will exercise our citizens’ rights to protest against the government. … If they want to fire me, they can fire me.”

The court ruled Thursday as gasoline shortages reached a critical stage.

PDVSA president Ali Rodriguez insisted the government was working to guarantee supplies for “many days.”