MercoPress http://en.mercopress.com/ South Atlantic News Agency en Copyright 2013, MercoPress. http://en.mercopress.com/web/img/en/mercopress-logo.gif MercoPress http://en.mercopress.com/ <![CDATA[To silence rationing rumours, Venezuela announces 760.000 tons of imported food is on the way]]> Minister Osorio made the announcement but did not say when the first shipments will arrive Venezuela is awaiting the arrival of 760.000 tons of food from different associated countries and which are destined to build a national reserve of food, according to Food Minister Felix Osorio. The announcement follows strong suggestions that rationing of certain food and toiletry items was in the pipeline.

]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 02:25:00 GMT <![CDATA[Maduro meets Francis: agrees on ‘sincere’ dialogue with Venezuelan bishops’ conference]]> The two leaders held a twenty minutes private meeting Pope Francis on Monday received in a 20-minute audience President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro in the hall of the Vatican Apostolic Library. On arrival at the hall known as Sala del Tronetto, the Venezuelan president said it was "an honour" to meet the pope, adding that he was "very impressed" and "happy" to be there. He also thanked the Argentine pope "for everything you are doing".

]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:38:00 GMT <![CDATA[Venezuelan government turns breast feeding into national controversy]]> Plan to ”prohibit all types of baby bottles” and recover love between mother and child Venezuela's Congress will discuss legislation this week that would prohibit bottle feeding of infants to try to encourage breast feeding and reduce the use of baby formula, said a lawmaker of the ruling Socialist Party.

]]> Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:07:00 GMT <![CDATA["Venezuela is not part of Mercosur; it was not ratified by Paraguayan congress”]]> Venezuela is not part of Mercosur; it was not ratified by Paraguayan congress” Venezuela “is not part of Mercosur, it was not ratified by the Paraguayan congress” according to one of the main foreign policy advisors of president elect Horacio Cartes who is scheduled to take office next August 15. Meanwhile Paraguay continues to advance it its intention of belonging to the Alliance of the Pacific.

]]> Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:39:00 GMT <![CDATA[Venezuela’s electoral council ratifies Maduro victory; Capriles appeals to Supreme Court]]> “Election results in Venezuela are and will continue to be a reflection of the will of the people” said Tibisay Lucena Venezuela's National Electoral Council said an audit of the results of presidential elections in April confirmed President Nicolas Maduro did win by 1.5 percentage points, despite opposition claims that the vote was fraudulent.

]]> Wed, 12 Jun 2013 07:24:00 GMT <![CDATA[U.S. and Venezuela agree to start dialogue to restore respective ambassadors]]> Kerry and Jaua in the sidelines of the OAS annual assembly in Guatemala (Photo AFP) The United States is to start a dialogue with Venezuela aimed at restoring their respective ambassadors, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said. He was speaking after Venezuela freed and deported a US filmmaker who had been held on conspiracy charges. Mr Kerry welcomed Timothy Tracy's release as a "positive development".

]]> Thu, 06 Jun 2013 02:13:00 GMT <![CDATA[Strong reaction from Bolivarian countries to Colombia’s cooperation with NATO]]> “A threat for Bolivarian countries” claimed Bolivia’s Evo Morales who requested an urgent meeting of Unasur Sec Council President Juan Manuel Santos announcement over the weekend that Colombia will look for a cooperation understanding with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) on their invitation, has irked the so called Latinamerican group of ‘anti-imperialist countries’, at a moment when relations between neighbouring Colombia and Venezuela have hit a new low.

]]> Tue, 04 Jun 2013 05:27:00 GMT <![CDATA[Venezuela threatens Colombia after Santos meets opposition leader Capriles]]> Cabello: “President Santos is putting a bomb in the good relations that President Chavez” Caracas is furious over a Wednesday meeting between Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elías Jaua told state television the meeting “will bring a derailment of the good relations that we have” while Parliament Speaker Diosdado Cabello compared the meeting to "placing a bomb on the train."

]]> Fri, 31 May 2013 07:27:00 GMT <![CDATA[Venezuelan H1N1 flu outbreak has killed 17 and infected another 250, according to health sources]]> “Tail-end of the pandemic” said former Venezuelan Health minister Rafael Orihuela An outbreak of H1N1 flu has killed 17 people in Venezuela and infected another 250, private media and local authorities said on Monday. H1N1, often referred to as swine flu, was a flu strain that swept around in the world in a 2009/2010 pandemic.

]]> Tue, 28 May 2013 00:08:00 GMT <![CDATA[Venezuelans bishops warn government that there is a shortage of mass wine and hosts]]> The company that supplies wine for Eucharistic celebrations admits having difficulties to obtain foreign currency for the imports Catholic News Agency reports that the serious food shortage in Venezuela could lead to a lack of wine and hosts for the celebration of Mass. Reporter Macky Arenas Arenas explained that the shortage in the country is due to “the lack of raw materials.”

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