Venezuelan officials step in to keep beer flowing amid labor dispute at largest distributor

A government official hopes to help solve a dispute between Venezuelan labor unions and the country's largest beer distributor before it begins to leave brew-lovers thirsty.

Empresas Polar is embroiled in a fight with union workers demanding better wages. Workers have shut down breweries and limited distribution of the small bottles of light beer that are favored in Venezuela.

Federal ombudsman Tarek William Saab met Tuesday with labor leaders and officials at the company.

Polar distributes about 80 percent of the country's beer. While there are no signs of shortages on shelves so far, the company says it is struggling to get deliveries out to the central part of Venezuela.