
Argentine president Cristina Fernandez received late Monday the first international support for her announced takeover of YPF from the Spanish corporation Repsol: the Venezuelan government and President Hugo Chavez, revealed the Foreign Affairs ministry.

Showing off new energy after cancer treatment, Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez hosted Latin American leaders on Friday to create a new regional body that pointedly excludes the United States and Canada.

The Unasur (Union of South American Nations) twelve presidents will define “lines of action” for 2012 during a meeting on the sides of the Latin American and Caribbean States Community, Celac, summit scheduled for December 2 and 3 in Venezuela.

Brazil questioned the Venezuelan government guarantees for freedom of expression and Judiciary branch independence although at the same time saying it was a “good friend” of the government of President Hugo Chavez.

Venezuelan lawmakers exchanged punches in parliament on Thursday when a fight erupted between members of President Hugo Chavez's socialist party and rivals, in a sign of the country’s political polarization.

Brazil expects Venezuela’s full incorporation to Mercosur to be approved “soon” said Foreign Affairs minister Antonio Patriota during a meeting on Monday in Caracas with his peer Nicolas Maduro in Caracas to reaffirm strong bilateral links.

Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs minister Nicolas Maduro called on the Paraguayan parliament for a “sincere and fraternal” vote that opens the way for Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur as a full member, a request pending since 2006.

The UNASUR (Union of South American Nations) Foreign Affairs ministerial meeting concluded Thursday night in Quito without an agreement on how to solve the diplomatic rift between Venezuela and Colombia.

Colombian Foreign Affairs minister Jaime Bermudez claimed Venezuela impeded reaching a consensus on a cooperation mechanism preventing the presence of Colombian guerrillas in other countries, during the Unasur ministerial meeting Thursday in Ecuador.

Venezuela’ Foreign Affairs minister Nicolás Maduro revealed to Paraguayan officials that his country would be proposing in the coming Unasur meeting a “political negotiation” to end decades of political violence in Colombia.