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News from Venezuela as of

 

Venezuela to pay CMS $106 million in utility takeover February 14, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuela said on Tuesday it will pay US-based CMS Energy Corp. $106 million in its takeover of local electricity company Seneca as part of a nationalisation drive by leftist President Hugo Chavez. read more..

Chavez to visit St Vincent this week February 12, 2007
KINGSTOWN, St Vincent: Addressing members of his Unity Labour Party, at a political rally last week, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves urged his supporters to come out and give the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, "a warm Vincentian welcome." read more..

Venezuela announces anti-inflation measures February 12, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuela unveiled on Sunday measures aimed at curbing inflation, which surged to 17 percent last year amid an oil-driven economic boom and heavy government spending. read more..

Rice believes Chavez is 'destroying' Venezuela February 8, 2007
WASHINGTON, USA (Reuters): US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Wednesday she believed Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was destroying his country economically and politically. read more..

Ideology trumps profits in Venezuela's revolution February 7, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): "Fish lay eggs, don't they?" Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez asked Mary Quintero, a student at an agricultural collective who had just reached the half-way point of her course on fish-processing. read more..

Venezuela celebrates 15th anniversary of Chavez coup February 5, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Thousands of Venezuelans wearing red and waving giant inflatable dolls of President Hugo Chavez poured into the streets of Caracas on Sunday to commemorate a 1992 coup that forged Chavez's reputation. read more..

Tougher US line could hand Venezuela's Chavez 'red meat', say experts February 5, 2007
WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): High-ranking US officials and lawmakers are pressuring the State Department to take a more punishing tone with Venezuela, at the risk of tossing "red meat" to President Hugo Chavez, who now rules by decree, experts told AFP. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez confirms plan to buy Russian missiles February 3, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a fierce US critic who has been granted sweeping powers, has confirmed plans to buy missiles from Russia as part of a long-standing weapons upgrade. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez takes sweeping powers February 2, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Leftist firebrand President Hugo Chavez branded his US counterpart George W. Bush a "war criminal" Thursday as he assumed sweeping new powers for 18 months. read more..

Chavez gets green light for sweeping government overhaul February 1, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Venezuelan lawmakers granted President Hugo Chavez the power to rule by decree for the next 18 months. Some 500 Chavez supporters dressed in his signature red gathered in front of a statue of independence hero Simon Bolivar to watch the ceremony. read more..

Chavez set to receive decree powers in Venezuela January 31, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuela's Congress delayed by a day on Tuesday its vote to give President Hugo Chavez decree powers enabling him to nationalise oil and utility assets and press his drive to turn Venezuela into a socialist state. read more..

Chavez threatens Latin American democracies January 31, 2007
WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): Leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is threatening democracies in Latin America with his behaviour, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said Tuesday. A former ambassador to Mexico and Honduras, Negroponte has often voiced his dislike of Chavez, read more..

US envoy plays down threat from Venezuela's Chavez January 27, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): The US envoy to Venezuela on Friday played down a warning from President Hugo Chavez that he could be expelled and repeated his demand that US firms affected by nationalisation be compensated. read more..

Castro letter to Chavez answers few health questions January 26, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): A letter from Fidel Castro to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has revived the view that the ailing Cuban leader is hanging on and attentive to politics. Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage on Wednesday delivered the missive signed by Castro to his close ally Chavez, read more..

Cuban VP makes surprise visit to Venezuela January 25, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Cuba's Vice President Carlos Lage made a surprise visit to Caracas Wednesday to bolster his Communist regime's ties with its principal ally, the government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. read more..

Venezuela to supply bulk of Guyana's oil needs January 25, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Venezuela's energy ministry announced Wednesday the country would supply half of Guyana's oil needs after signing an energy accord with its neighbour. read more..

Venezuela gives Cuba satellite access January 25, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuela will grant Cuba access to the South American nation's first-ever satellite, due to be launched in September, as ties between the states deepen and the health of Cuban President Fidel Castro grows more uncertain. read more..

Chavez decides not to change Venezuela's name January 23, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez said Sunday he would not change the official name of his country to "Socialist Republic of Venezuela," two weeks after he said he would drop the existing "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela." read more..

Venezuela will always back Syria, Iran against US 'madmen' January 22, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez vowed Sunday that his government would always back US foes Syria and Iran in the face of threats from Washington. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez urges Mercosur to turn to the left January 20, 2007
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AFP): Venezuela's leftist firebrand President Hugo Chavez pressed leaders of South America's Mercosur trade bloc Friday to reject neoliberalism and US imperialism as they work to overcome differences on forging a new, integrated economic front. read more..

Venezuela legislature to grant Chavez rule by decree January 19, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Venezuela's legislature voted unanimously to grant President Hugo Chavez the power to rule by decree for 18 months, in the initial vote on a bill Thursday. The bill authorises Chavez to "rule by decree ... with the force of law." read more..

Leftist Venezuelan parties start talks on united front January 17, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Leftist parties backing President Hugo Chavez announced on Tuesday talks to form a single political party, a United Socialist Party, to back Chavez's programme of "socialism for the 21st century." read more..

Venezuela intensifies takeover fight with big firms January 16, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuela intensified its nationalization fight with foreign companies on Monday, vowing to impose a takeover of oil majors' operations and grab all of a US utility's stake in the country's largest private power company. read more..

Iran's anti-US president heads to Venezuela January 13, 2007
TEHRAN, Iran (Reuters): Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left Iran on Friday for his second trip to Latin America in four months, starting with a visit to Venezuela and talks with its anti-US President Hugo Chavez. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez on warpath but picking battles January 13, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): President Hugo Chavez's nationalisation push this week shows that despite his sometimes apocalyptic rhetoric, he calculates how far he can go in seeking to turn Venezuela into his vision of a socialist state. Chavez on Monday announced takeovers. read more..

Standard and Poor's trims Venezuela credit outlook January 12, 2007
NEW YORK, USA (AFP): Standard and Poor's Thursday marked down its credit outlook for Venezuela a day after the Latin American country's president, Hugo Chavez, promised to expand his socialist agenda. read more..

Chavez puts focus on socialism, eyes unlimited re-election January 11, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): President Hugo Chavez, a pro-Cuban critic of Washington, was sworn in Wednesday for a new six-year term, promising to expand "socialism Venezuelan-style" and rewrite the constitution to allow indefinite re-election. read more..

OAS chief won't enter 'insult match' with Chavez January 10, 2007
WASHINGTON, USA (Reuters): The Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Jose Miguel Insulza, the subject of name calling on Monday by Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, said on Tuesday he would not get into a war of words with the leftist Venezuelan president. read more..

Flush Chavez hopes to bolster anti-US coalition in Latin America January 10, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): In the course of a week, Venezuela's firebrand President Hugo Chavez will be sworn in for a new term, followed by leftist allies Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua and Rafael Correa in Ecuador whom he hopes will form an anti-US axis of the left. read more..

Venezuela wants majority in Orinoco oil projects January 9, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Monday said four multibillion-dollar crude oil projects run by major oil companies should become state property, though officials said he was referring to previous plans for the state to take a majority stake. read more..

Venezuela demands OAS chief take back remarks on TV shutdown January 8, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Venezuela on Saturday urged the Organization of American States' chief to take back his call for Caracas to reconsider its decision not to renew the license of private broadcaster RCTV. read more..

Venezuela TV closure a threat to free speech, says OAS January 6, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuela's refusal to renew the license of an opposition-linked television station threatens free expression, the Organization of American States said on Friday. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez names brother education minister January 6, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday named his older brother as education minister, reaffirming his family's role in public life and continuing a cabinet reshuffle that strengthens his grip on government. read more..

Chavez brings fresh allies into Venezuela cabinet January 5, 2007
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chavez has appointed a new vice-president, finance minister and justice minister, bringing fresh allies into the Cabinet to strengthen his grip on government. read more..

Chavez wishes Fidel Castro a full recovery January 3, 2007
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sent gifts and wishes for a full recovery to ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro, his friend and close political ally, on the New Year's Day anniversary of Cuba's revolution, official media reported Tuesday. read more..

Chavez refuses license to Venezuelan opposition TV December 29, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday the license of opposition television channel RCTV would not be renewed, giving ammunition to critics who say he is muzzling opponents to build a one-party state. read more..

Russia delivers five military helicopters to Venezuela: company December 29, 2006
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP): Russia has delivered five military helicopters to Venezuela, the manufacturer Rostvertol said on Thursday, the Ria-Novosti agency reported. read more..

US playing 'good cop-bad cop' with Venezuela, says Chavez December 21, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) : President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday demanded US Ambassador William Brownsfield withdraw his "lie" about increased drug trade in Venezuela if US-Venezuelan relations are to prosper. read more..

Venezuela starts to construct single ruling party December 20, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): President Hugo Chavez's dominant political party said on Monday it was dissolving, laying the keystone for a single ruling party that critics fear is Chavez's attempt to turn Venezuela into Cuba. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez says spoke with ailing Castro December 16, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Friday that he spoke on Thursday with ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who temporarily stepped aside in July following intestinal surgery. read more..

Washington and Caracas again on talking terms December 16, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Washington and Caracas are again on talking terms, the US ambassador here said after meeting the Venezuelan foreign minister, a major step aimed at ending years of frosty relations. read more..

Election result in Venezuela positive, says US official December 15, 2006
WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): A senior US diplomat said Wednesday this month's elections in Venezuela were promising as the presidential vote produced a clear winner and an opposition leader who was committed to democracy. "There was a clear winner that the opposition accepted." read more..

Leftist talk cannot deter Venezuela's big spenders December 9, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Sleek Maseratis grace car showrooms, maids take pampered poodles for walks past high-walled mansions and women decked out in Prada nibble on delicate pastries at street-side cafes. read more..

Fidel Castro congratulates Venezuela's Chavez on re-election December 6, 2006
HAVANA, Cuba (AFP): Cuban leader Fidel Castro on Tuesday congratulated his ally Hugo Chavez on being re-elected president of Venezuela, but official silence about Castro's absence at celebrations in his honour cast fresh doubts on his health. Castro has not appeared in public since late July. read more..

Venezuela may have to devalue currency December 6, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez may have to devalue the currency by 2008 should he fail to curb a surge in government spending, Citigroup Inc. has said. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez seen threatening regional unity December 5, 2006
BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will make little progress in exporting his self-styled socialist revolution in South America but his nationalist foreign policy could hamper regional integration efforts, analysts said on Monday. read more..

Venezuela's anti-Chavez opposition wins by losing December 5, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): After five years of striking, plotting coups and crying fraud against leftist President Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's opposition leaders on Sunday may have scored their first victory - by accepting defeat. read more..

Chavez's Castro ties risk alienating Venezuela base December 5, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dedicated his landslide re-election on Sunday to Cuban President Fidel Castro but he is also keen to convince his supporters that he is not a leader in Castro's communist mold. read more..

US praises Venezuela's democracy after Chavez win December 5, 2006
WASHINGTON, USA (Reuters): The White House on Monday commended the Venezuelan public for participating in democracy, but did not mention the re-election of President Hugo Chavez who has described President George W. Bush as the devil. read more..

Venezuelan president Chavez wins re-election December 4, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has won re-election, giving him six more years to use the country's oil wealth to help the poor and stir up anti-US sentiment in Latin America. Chavez took 61 percent of the vote while opponent Manuel Rosales took 38 percent. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez says will win re-election, warns of plots December 1, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Three days before a presidential election, Venezuela's firebrand President Hugo Chavez on Thursday urged the opposition to recognize his triumph once results are in and reported alleged plots to destabilise the country. read more..

Venezuela creates oil supply depot in Antigua-Barbuda November 30, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Petroleos de Venezuela SA, South America's largest oil company, said it has signed a lease for a storage facility in the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda as part of its PetroCaribe initiative. read more..

Chavez grip on Venezuela institutions stymies rival November 29, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): President Hugo Chavez's grip on vital Venezuelan institutions stacks the odds against his rival dislodging the anti-US incumbent in Sunday's election. read more..

St Kitts-Nevis to get first shipment of asphalt under Venezuela oil agreement November 29, 2006
BASSETERRE, St Kitts: St Kitts and Nevis Minister of Public Works and Public Utilities, Dr Earl Asim Martin, says the twin-island Federation will begin benefiting from the PetroCaribe agreement with Venezuela, when the first shipment of asphalt arrives in December. read more..

Venezuela to sell oil products to Belize November 28, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Petroleos de Venezuela SA, South America's largest oil company, will sell petroleum products, including gasoline and diesel, to Belize as part of Venezuela's PetroCaribe initiative. read more..

US foe Chavez in the lead as Venezuela campaign winds down November 27, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Popular president and anti-US icon Hugo Chavez held a wide lead Sunday over his main rival as political parties mustered their final rallies before campaigning cuts off ahead of Venezuela's December 3 election. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez: Castro to begin 'second mandate' in Cuba November 27, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Cuban President Fidel Castro is not on his death bed, but is ready to launch a "second mandate," Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Saturday, brandishing a letter from his ailing friend. read more..

OAS to observe Venezuela's presidential election November 24, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): The Organization of American States will observe Venezuela's December 3 presidential election, an OAS official said on Thursday, ensuring the presence of top Western diplomatic bodies in what may be a contentious vote. read more..

Rival says Chavez scares Venezuelans from polls November 22, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): President Hugo Chavez's challenger in Venezuela's December 3 election accused the incumbent on Tuesday of seeking to scare his opponents into staying away from the polls. read more..

Venezuela to sell oil products to St Vincent November 17, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Petroleos de Venezuela SA, South America's largest oil company, will sell petroleum products to the Caribbean island nation of St Vincent and the Grenadines as part of Venezuela's PetroCaribe initiative. read more..

Venezuela seeks stake in Curacao refinery November 17, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Petroleos de Venezuela SA, South America's largest oil company, has offered to buy a 49 percent stake in Curacao's Isla refinery for $1.5 billion, Curacao-based Amigoe newspaper has reported. read more..

Chavez rival tries to embolden Venezuela voters November 16, 2006
RIO CARIBE, Venezuela (Reuters): Manuel Rosales reckons he can only defeat Venezuela's anti-US President Hugo Chavez on December 3 if the electorate dares to defy a culture of political intimidation. The odds do not look promising. Rosales has trailed Chavez by 18 to 35 points in most opinion polls. read more..

Chavez losing influence in Latin America, says US November 16, 2006
WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): Venezuela's firebrand leader, Hugo Chavez, is "losing influence" across Latin America despite the recent election of ally Daniel Ortega as president of Nicaragua, the US State Department's number two diplomat, Nicholas Burns, said Wednesday. read more..

EU to send observers for Venezuelan presidential vote November 16, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): The European Union has agreed to send observers to monitor Venezuela's December 3 presidential election after the South American country gave in to EU demands that the head of its delegation be allowed to speak to the press and release his report to the public. read more..

Chavez threatens to turn oil off November 9, 2006
MIAMI, USA (UPI): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has once again threatened the United States with cutting off oil supplies if provoked by the Bush administration. read more..

Venezuela seeks to rekindle cigar industry's ashes November 9, 2006
CUMANA, Venezuela (Reuters): When Venezuela's Taoist Defense Minister, Raul Baduel, met his US counterpart last month, he produced a characteristically meditative solution to ill-feeling between Washington and Caracas. read more..

London mayor cancels trip to sign Venezuela oil deal November 8, 2006
LONDON, England (Bloomberg): London Mayor Ken Livingstone has cancelled a trip this week to Caracas to sign an oil-supply agreement with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, citing the demands of Chavez's re-election campaign. The trip followed a pledge by Chavez to supply discounted Venezuelan oil. read more..

Huge march in Venezuela for Chavez opponent November 6, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Hundreds of thousands of people on Saturday marched in Caracas to support opposition presidential candidate Manuel Rosales, whose populist campaign has focused on reducing crime and redistributing oil wealth. Rosales trails President Hugo Chavez in most polls. read more..

Antigua-Barbuda receives US$7.5m from Venezuela for airport upgrade November 4, 2006
ST JOHN’S, Antigua: The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has announced the receipt of US$7.5m (EC$20.1m) from the Government of Venezuela as a part of the ALBA Caribe initiative, for upgrade of works at the VC Bird International Airport. read more..

US welcomes Venezuela's 'defeat' in bid to secure Security Council seat November 3, 2006
UNITED NATIONS, (AFP): US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton on Thursday welcomed Venezuela's failure to secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, saying that Caracas had only itself to blame. "The Venezuelans defeated themselves through a variety of their tactics," Bolton said. read more..

Guatemala, Venezuela seek solution on Security Council seat November 2, 2006
UNITED NATIONS, (AFP): Guatemala and Venezuela on Wednesday agreed to suspend voting in the General Assembly until next week to decide which of them will secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council next January. read more..

Guatemala, Venezuela still deadlocked in UN council race November 1, 2006
UNITED NATIONS, (AFP): Guatemala and Venezuela on Tuesday remained deadlocked for a third week in UN General Assembly voting in their bid to secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council. read more..

US probes reported Chavez link to US voting machine firm October 30, 2006
WASHINGTON, USA (Reuters): The US government is probing whether a takeover last year of a leading US voting machine maker by a software company with links to Venezuela gave President Hugo Chavez's leftist government control over its operations. read more..

Chavez says Fidel Castro travels, health improving October 28, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, said on Friday that Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, was walking about and making nocturnal trips outside Havana, countering rumours the ailing 80-year-old was dead. Castro has long acted as a mentor to Chavez. read more..

Trinidad and Venezuelan Coast Guards on lookout for armed bandits October 27, 2006
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and Venezuela's Guardia Nacional are on the look-out for two armed men, who abducted a 53-year-old man and stole a fishing boat to make good their escape. read more..

Venezuela asks Dominican Republic to run for UN seat October 27, 2006
UNITED NATIONS, (Bloomberg): Venezuela has asked a second country, the Dominican Republic, to become a candidate for a Latin American seat on the United Nations Security Council and end the deadlocked race with Guatemala. read more..

UN deadlocks again on Security Council seat October 26, 2006
UNITED NATIONS, (AFP): The UN deadlocked again Wednesday on choosing between US-backed Guatemala and fierce US critic Venezuela for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council as the rivals hinted at compromise. read more..

Venezuela to give up UN candidacy for Bolivia, says Morales October 25, 2006
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AFP): Venezuela has asked its close ally Bolivia to run in its place for Latin America's open spot on the UN Security Council, Bolivia's president said Tuesday in a surprising announcement a day before the UN was to resume voting for the seat. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez says he holds Bush 'by the tail' October 24, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): President Hugo Chavez claimed Sunday he holds US President George W. Bush by the tail, despite Venezuela's failure to capture a UN Security Council seat last week against US opposition. read more..

Venezuela a 'potential hub of terrorism' in Americas, says US report October 21, 2006
WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): US officials believe Venezuela is emerging as a "potential hub of terrorism" in the Americas, according to a congressional report released Thursday. read more..

Guatemala, Venezuela hint at possible compromise in UN vote October 21, 2006
UNITED NATIONS, (AFP): The marathon contest between Guatemala and staunch US critic Venezuela for a seat on the UN Security Council was set to resume next week after voting in the General Assembly Thursday remained deadlocked. read more..

Venezuela, Guatemala deadlocked over UN Security Council seat October 18, 2006
UNITED NATIONS, (AFP): Venezuela and Guatemala were deadlocked Tuesday in their bid for a UN Security Council seat, with the United States pushing hard to keep Caracas's Hugo Chavez from securing a new platform. read more..

Venezuela drops behind in race for UN Security Council October 17, 2006
UNITED NATIONS, (AFP): Venezuela, after coming neck and neck with Guatemala for Latin America's open seat on the UN Security Council, fell behind again Monday under intense lobbying from the United States. read more..

Venezuela runs for UN Council seat; US opposed October 16, 2006
UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters): Armed with petrodollars, Venezuela has made a major push to defeat Guatemala in Monday's elections for five open UN Security Council seats. Venezuela is expected to get a majority in secret balloting in the UN General Assembly. read more..

Chavez's push for UN Council seat sets up a showdown with US October 12, 2006
UNITED NATIONS, (Bloomberg): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who last month called President George W. Bush the "devil" in a United Nations speech, is facing determined opposition from the US over his bid for a regular platform at the world body. read more..

Guyana/Venezuela teams meet as police release interim report on miner’s killing October 11, 2006
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: President Bharrat Jagdeo along with Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Rudy Insanally on Tuesday met with a high-level team from Venezuela to discuss a number of issues of mutual interest to both countries, read more..

Venezuela cuts October gasoline exports to Cuba October 7, 2006
NEW YORK, USA (Reuters): Venezuela's state-owned oil firm PDVSA has cut its October unleaded gasoline export flow to neighboring Cuba due to refinery problems, oil traders and ship brokers said on Friday. read more..

Venezuela aims to deter US aggression, says defense chief October 5, 2006
BOGOTA, Colombia (AFP): Venezuela's military purchases are strictly to deter US aggression, its Defense Minister Raul Baduel told Colombian radio, after US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Bogota was worried Venezuelan arms would end up in the hands of leftist Colombian rebels. read more..

Venezuelan arms buildup potentially destabilising, says US general October 3, 2006
MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AFP): A top US general said Monday there is growing regional concern that Venezuelan arms purchases could lead to a potentially unsettling spread of small arms and ammunition throughout the region. read more..

Venezuela promises not to use UN seat to advance border claim against Guyana October 2, 2006
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: President Bharrat Jagdeo said that Guyana has been assured that, should Venezuela occupy the vacant temporary seat on the UN Security Council, it will not use the opportunity to advance its border dispute with Guyana. read more..

US accuses Chavez of destabilizing Latin America September 27, 2006
WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): The US ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, accused Venezeluan President Hugo Chavez on Monday of using his country's oil wealth to destabilize other Latin American nations. Bolton said the leftist president has formed a "very close bond" with Fidel Castro. read more..

Rice spurns Venezuela's bid for UN Security Council seat September 27, 2006
NEW YORK, USA (AFP): The UN Security Council needs "responsible states" and not those who want to air their anti-American views at the expense of solving crucial problems, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a clear reference to Venezuela. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez wants to be world's anti-US voice September 25, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez staked a claim to be the world's leading anti-American voice by branding U.S. President George W. Bush as the devil in a speech to the United Nations this week. read more..

Venezuela housing crunch hurts Chavez political base September 21, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Oswaldo Reyes may fondly remember living for 24 years in the house he built in the Caracas hillside slum Casalta III. But now the only thing on his mind is the honking horn on a government digger demolishing the remains of his home. read more..

Iran president cements anti-US front with Venezuela September 18, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shored up opposition to a US drive to curb Iran's nuclear program on a visit to Venezuela on Sunday that cemented an anti-American front with President Hugo Chavez. Ahmadinejad's first trip to Venezuela highlighted Iran's backing. read more..

Cuba's Castro recovering, giving orders, says Chavez September 4, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Cuban leader Fidel Castro is now able to write notes and give orders as he recovers from surgery, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Sunday. Castro temporarily handed power to his brother Raul on July 31 to recover from intestinal surgery. read more..

Chavez uses oil ties to woo 'Mother Africa' September 2, 2006
LUANDA, Angola (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has offered his country's oil expertise to Angola, sub-Saharan Africa's No. 2 crude producer, in a strategy to boost ties with what he calls "Mother Africa" and counter U.S. influence there. read more..

Chavez seeks 'indefinite' term as Venezuelan leader September 2, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who is running for re-election in December, has said he would call a referendum in 2010 to change the constitution, allowing him to hold office without any term limit. read more..

Venezuela's Rosales pledges to review PetroCaribe agreement August 31, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuela presidential challenger Manuel Rosales has pledged to review all oil and economic agreements entered into by President Hugo Chavez, including the country's PetroCaribe oil initiative if he wins the December 3 election. read more..

Venezuela fines US oil firms August 30, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuela fined two US oil service firms in the country and closed the offices of one for alleged bookkeeping irregularities, El Universal reported Tuesday. read more..

US foe Venezuela's Chavez arrives in Syria August 30, 2006
DAMASCUS, Syria (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in Syria on Tuesday to show solidarity with the Arab nation that has defied Washington for years. Chavez's popularity in Syria and the Arab world has shot up after he ordered Venezuela's envoy in Israel home earlier this month. read more..

Venezuela to reconsider anti-drug accord with U.S August 23, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuela has doubts about signing a stalled anti-drug accord with the United States after Washington last week opened a special intelligence bureau for Venezuela and Cuba, a Venezuelan minister said on Monday. read more..

Chavez to seek oil contracts, political support in China August 23, 2006
BEIJING, China (AFP): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in China Tuesday for a visit aimed at forging closer energy and economic ties, as interest also centered on whether the trip would boost his anti-US platform. Chavez's six-day tour comes at a crucial time for his country. read more..

Chavez visits China as Venezuela curbs US oil ties August 22, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will visit China this week to cement a relationship aimed at loosening his oil industry's ties to the US. read more..

US ramping up its spying, says Venezuela's Chavez August 22, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): President Hugo Chavez on Sunday struck back at US intelligence, which announced earlier that it had named a special case manager to focus on Venezuela and Cuba. read more..

Venezuela claims it caught US spies August 21, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (UPI): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez claims to have caught four US spies and sent them home, El Universal reported Saturday. read more..

US names spy operations 'manager' for Cuba, Venezuela August 21, 2006
WASHINGTON, USA (AFP): The United States has named a special "manager" for its intelligence operations against Cuba and Venezuela, in effect putting the two Latin American nations on a par with "axis of evil" states confronted on multiple levels by the Bush administration. read more..

Candidate registers to face Venezuela's Chavez August 21, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuelan presidential hopeful Manuel Rosales on Saturday led a march of thousands of supporters to register his candidacy against popular President Hugo Chavez in December elections. read more..

Petroleos Venezuela and Jamaica's Petroleum Corp form venture August 17, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Petroleos de Venezuela SA, South America's largest oil company, has formed a joint venture with Jamaica's state oil company as part of Venezuela's PetroCaribe initiative. read more..

Venezuela's Chavez to visit China next week August 16, 2006
BEIJING, China (AFP): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will visit China next week, the Chinese foreign ministry announced Tuesday, amid signs the two nations are looking to increase their energy ties. read more..

Venezuela steps up hunt for escaped union leader Carlos Ortega August 15, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuelan police stepped up the hunt for union leader Carlos Ortega, who escaped Sunday from a military prison where he was being held for his role in a 2002-2003 nationwide strike to oust President Hugo Chavez. read more..

Chavez formally registers re-election bid August 14, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters/AFP): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a popular leftist crusader, has formally registered his re-election campaign to continue a self-styled socialist revolution that has put him at odds with Washington. Chavez, first elected in 1998, is widely expected to win. read more..

Chavez reveals recipe for Castro's 'tsunami' antacid August 12, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): The stomach condition of Cuban leader Fidel Castro is a classified secret, but his close ally Hugo Chavez openly suggests the communist try a dose of his own medicine for his intestinal woes. read more..

Venezuelan, Cuban presidents exchange letters August 11, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday he had exchanged letters with his friend and ally Fidel Castro, who is recovering from abdominal surgery. read more..

Venezuela oil reserves to soar, boosted by heavy oil August 11, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg): Venezuela's oil reserves may almost triple in two years as oil companies develop the country's Faja, or heavy-oil belt, President Hugo Chavez said. read more..

Venezuela opens bidding on Caribbean gas blocks August 10, 2006
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP): Venezuela has launched international bidding for licenses to explore and operate four potentially gas-rich offshore blocks in the Caribbean identified by the state energy group, Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said. read more..

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