RIO DE JANEIRO, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's oil workers on Thursday decided to suspend a 72-hour strike begun Wednesday after the country's top labor court (TST) threatened to impose higher fines.

Earlier in the day, the TST said it will raise the initial 500,000-real (135,000-U.S.-dollar) fine against striking oil workers' unions to 2 million reals (535,000 dollars) for each day of the work stoppage.

Given the court ruling, the FUP, Brazil's largest oil workers' union, "recommends that unions suspend the strike," it said in a statement.

It also criticized the court's decision, saying that it "is clearly aimed at criminalizing and disabling social and unionized movements."

The oil sector wanted to show solidarity with the nation's truckers, who have been protesting since May 21 against rising fuel costs.

They also demanded the removal of Pedro Parente, CEO of the state oil firm Petrobras.

The truckers' protest, which brought Latin America's biggest economy to a standstill for over 10 days, petered out this week after President Michel Temer agreed to cut diesel prices.