Tag: Nicolas Maduro

• Monday, June 15th 2015 - 04:53 UTC

  UK High Commissioner dismisses Venezuela's (oily) claim on Guyana's maritime front

  

  British High Commissioner to Guyana, James Gregory Quinn has dismissed Venezuela’s most recent claim on Guyana’s oil rich Essequibo Coast, stating that it lacks solid grounds. Venezuela’s President Nicholas Maduro on May 27 signed a decree that now claims an entire portion of Guyana’s territory into the Atlantic Ocean and includes the Stabroek Block where a significant portion of oil was recently discovered by US oil giant, ExxonMobil.

• Monday, June 8th 2015 - 08:05 UTC

  Maduro cancels trip to Rome and meeting with the Pope because of a 'flu spell'

  

  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced he had canceled a planned trip to Rome and Vatican during which he was due to meet Pope Francis, because he is sick with flu. Analysts believe the 'diplomatic' flu spell could be linked to protests in Rome and the Vatican bringing up the issue of political prisoners, following on several letters sent to the Holy See.

• Monday, June 8th 2015 - 08:00 UTC

  Felipe Gonzalez in Venezuela to help lawyers defending political prisoners

  

  Former Spanish prime minister Felipe González has arrived in Venezuela, where he intends to help lawyers defending imprisoned opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez and Caracas mayor Antonio Ledezma, who is under house arrest.

• Monday, May 25th 2015 - 07:25 UTC

  Jailed Venezuelan opposition leaders declare themselves on hunger strike

  

  Jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez has declared himself on hunger strike and called for a protest march next weekend against Venezuela's populist government. Lopez, the best-known opposition activist in custody, was jailed more than a year ago for his role in instigating street protests against President Nicolas Maduro that led to violence killing 43 people and injuring hundreds more.

• Wednesday, May 20th 2015 - 04:42 UTC

  US targets Venezuela's second strongest man for alleged cocaine trafficking

  

  Despite persistent denials of any wrongdoing from Caracas, US authorities are currently investigating Venezuela’s powerful parliamentary chief, Diosdado Cabello, and other senior officials over alleged cocaine-trafficking and money-laundering, the Wall Street Journal reported.

• Monday, May 11th 2015 - 09:05 UTC

  Under pressure from Brazil, Venezuela announces legislative elections for end of the year

  

  Venezuela will hold parliamentary elections in the last quarter of this year and the exact date will be announced soon, the head of the National Electoral Council (CNE) said on Sunday. The elected lawmakers will be inaugurated for five years on 2016.

• Wednesday, April 29th 2015 - 09:14 UTC

  Oil rich but power short Venezuela cuts working day to save electricity

  

  Venezuela says it will cut the working day for public sector workers to five-and-a-half hours to conserve energy, down from eight to nine hours. The initiative is part of a nationwide electricity rationing plan.

• Monday, April 20th 2015 - 23:59 UTC

  China makes effective 5bn dollars loan to Venezuela for 'development plans'

  

  China has awarded Venezuela 5 billion dollars for unspecified “development plans,” President Nicolas Maduro said on Sunday, approximately three months after an official visit to China. According to published reports, the loan is part of a 10 billion deal to be completed in the following months.

• Saturday, April 11th 2015 - 05:45 UTC

  'Malvinas', center piece of Cristina Fernandez speech at Panama summit

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez is attending the VII Summit of the Americas in Panama City where she is expected on Saturday to strongly criticize the United Kingdom over the 'militarization' of the Falklands/Malvinas and revelations of massive espionage of Argentina by London.

• Friday, March 20th 2015 - 08:23 UTC

  Venezuela condemns US 'tyrannical” attempts in New York Times full page ad

  

  Venezuela has placed a full page ad in The New York Times decrying what it charges are “tyrannical” attempts by the US government to undermine its socialist system. The ad declaring that “Venezuela is not a threat” comes amid mounting tensions between the two countries after President Nicolás Maduro this month accused Washington of plotting to oust him and ordered the US Embassy in Caracas to slash staffing levels.