Venezuela's proposed 2016 government budget is based on an estimate of $40 per barrel for the OPEC nation's oil exports, Finance Minister Rodolfo Marco said in a presentation to congress on Tuesday.
Against the background of what he said were continued territorial threats from both Venezuela and Suriname, Guyana President David Granger has announced a Total National Defense Policy.
Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) Foreign Ministers have welcomed Venezuela’s decision to receive a United Nations (UN) technical team which will provide recommendations to the UN Secretary-General on the way forward to a full and final solution to its territorial dispute with Guyana. And they say they fully support Guyana’s “territorial integrity”.
Although president Cristina Fernandez, to the surprise of many, did not mention a word about Argentina's claim over the Falkland Islands, particularly since this was her last address to the UN General Assembly, Minister Hector Timerman said that nobody could doubt the president's commitment to the Malvinas question, and there were plenty of mentions to the issue from allied countries.
Following a tense meeting, the presidents of Venezuela and Guyana agreed Sunday to restore ambassadors and hold talks to resolve a long-running border dispute that flared up recently following the discovery of oil in disputed waters.
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro says he wants to have a discussion with his Guyanese counterpart to find a way to settle the conflicts between the two countries. He made a call for a meeting to be held on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York, during his ‘Contact with Maduro’ program, according to the statement on the website of the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry.
Colombia and Venezuela have agreed to restore diplomatic dialogue and oversee progressive normalization of their border, after a meeting between Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and his counterpart Nicolas Maduro.
Supporters rallied around the wife of Venezuela's opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez on Friday, calling for peaceful protests as he was sentenced to nearly 14 years in jail for his role in deadly anti-government demonstrations last year. The European Union joined in denouncing a harsh verdict, while Washington said it was deeply troubled by the treatment of the US-trained economist.
Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was convicted inciting violence and sentenced to 13 years in prison on Thursday for his leading role in the 2014 street protests against the government of President Nicolas Maduro that spiralled into bloodshed, killing more than 40 people. A statement from Unasur (Union of South American Nations) is expected on Friday.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has pledged to build a comprehensive plan for PetroCaribe, in the next ten years, spanning 2015-2025.