Venezuela is looking for uranium ... but with help from whom?

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:18:54 +0000

A rumor that had been circulating in Venezuela for some time was confirmed on Friday — and then quickly retracted.

On Friday, Venezuela's Minister for Mines, Rodolfo Sanz, confirmed that Iran has been helping Venezuela look for uranium deposits.

And the winner is...

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:20:48 +0000

It was high drama at the Miss Venezuela beauty pageant here last night.

Miss Miranda, Marelisa Gibson, the 21-year-old brunette featured in our video, walked away with the top prize.

Stewie Griffin promotes drug use for the US government, says Venezuela

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:37:06 +0000

It's a cause for controversy at home and has picked up a gamut of awards in the process, but now the popular cartoon show "Family Guy" has found itself caught in the middle of a spat between Venezuela and the United States about drug trafficking.

Ousted Honduran president slips into Tegucigalpa, Chavez says

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:47:57 +0000

Manuel Zelaya, the Honduran president who was ousted in a coup in June this year, is in Tegucigalpa, according to the Venezuelan government.

Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez, announced the news on live state TV while visiting an educational program launched by his government.

Zelaya, an ally of Chavez's left-wing movement, has received strong support from Venezuela during his exile.

Hugo Chavez — public relations master

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:57:44 +0000

If recent events are anything to go by, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez is a master in PR.

Iran draws only silence from Venezuela

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:48:52 +0000

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on his victory in last Sunday’s elections.

“It was a very big and important victory for the people fighting for a better world,” he was quoted as saying by the Venezuelan Ministry of Information.

Government attacks TV station

Fri, 22 May 2009 16:03:53 +0000

Police last night raided the home of the president of the Caracas-based Globovision in what may well be the first step in the total shutdown of the TV station.

The police were there purportedly to inspect a collection of cars that Guillermo Zuolaga was keeping at the property. Zuolaga said he had moved them from a showroom because it had recently been burgled.

To expropriate or not to expropriate?

Fri, 08 May 2009 20:31:19 +0000

The wave of expropriations that has hit Venezuela in the last few months continued today with the seizure of installations belonging to oil and gas service companies.

Good, but a work in progress

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:37:15 +0000

When it comes to Venezuela, Obama has achieved more in 100 days than his predecessor did in eight years.

There has been a famous handshake, a book and a declaration: “I want to be your friend.”

Photo Opportunity No 2

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:43:40 +0000

Following what Venezuela’s press office labeled a “historic” first encounter between Barack Obama and longtime scourge of the United States, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, it seems Chavez has taken a shine to Obama and his administration.

Encounters now seem to be coming thick and fast. Today, they met once more, again on the fringes of the summit.

Barack, meet Hugo. Hugo, meet Barack

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:03:29 +0000

A week of reconciliation between the United States and its Latin American neighbors took a turn for the better today when Barack Obama shook hands with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez.

Thousands protest proposed constitutional amendment

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:02:04 +0000

On Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009, thousands of Venezuelans turned out to protest an amendment to the constitution — set for a Feb. 15 referendum — that would abolish all political term limits. It would allow Venezuela’s controversial socialist president, Hugo Chavez, to run for office again after his second term concludes in 2012.

Click here to see my photos from the day's march.

Venezuela and political violence

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:58:18 +0000

The Vatican's consulate in Venezuela was attacked yesterday. Two men on a motorbike approached the building in Caracas and threw tear gas bombs at the building, according to a press release issued by the Vatican.

This is not the first attack on a religious institution here. Last week, armed men broke into Caracas' oldest synagogue, vandalizing their offices.

A level playing field?

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:20:50 +0000

Venezuelans awoke to an unexpected national holiday today. It's the 10th anniversary of Hugo Chavez's presidency and the unpredictable president sprung a surprise by announcing a public holiday to commemorate the date.

A wariness towards Obamamania

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:00:09 +0000

For Venezuelans, the real news about Obama happened back in November. The inauguration is seen as a formality. Most minds are concentrated on next month's referendum in which Venezuelans will vote on an amendment to the constitution that would scrap presidential term limits. It's a law that President Hugo Chavez needs to have passed if he wants to stay in power beyond 2012.