
Brazil and Argentina will work together to help find a solution to Venezuela's political crisis, Brazil's acting foreign minister said on Monday. Venezuela is facing a severe economic crisis, with the world's highest inflation and shortages. Polls indicate most Venezuelans want President Nicolas Maduro out of office.

Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro admitted he was mad as a hatter, but mad with love for Venezuela, the Bolivarian revolution and for the deceased leader Hugo Chavez, in a clear reference to previous statements, without mentioning him, of Uruguayan ex president Jose Mujica.

Uruguayan ex president Jose Mujica said on Wednesday that in Venezuela “everybody has gone nuts” and president Nicolas Maduro is “mad as a hatter”. The former leader was reacting to the controversy between his former foreign minister and now OAS secretary general, Luis Almagro and Maduro.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Wednesday he was prepared to escalate a state of emergency imposed this week after opposition-led protests in the capital and other cities. Maduro told supporters he would give the order - which implies suspending laws and rights to maintain public order - if “violent” anti-government acts occurred.

The army in crisis-hit Venezuela has to choose whether it is with the constitution or with [President Nicolas] Maduro, opposition leader Henrique Capriles said on Tuesday.He made the statement to journalists after Maduro decreed a state of emergency broadening the powers of soldiers and police - and a day before opposition-led marches demanding a referendum to oust the president.

Brazil's interim government dismissed criticism by populist countries in Latin America, including Venezuela, Cuba and Bolivia, over the impeachment process of Dilma Rousseff, who was suspended as president by the senate.

Venezuela's foreign minister accused the United States of conspiring to topple President Nicolás Maduro's government in conjunction with Venezuela's opposition. Minister Delcy Rodríguez says the plot includes attempting to remove Maduro's government from the Organization of American States in conjunction with the organization's secretary-general, Luis Almagro.

Pope Francis has sent a “personal letter” to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in which he addresses his concern over the “seriousness” of “the county’s situation”, revealed papal spokesman Federico Lombardi confirmed to journalists this weekend.

Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro has ordered a 30% increase in the minimum wage, the latest move by the socialist government to grapple with high inflation and economic stagnation.

Brazilian prosecutors charged political strategist Joao Santana, the architect of President Dilma Rousseff’s 2010 and 2014 election victories, and 16 others with corruption on Thursday as part of a massive graft investigation.