Venezuela

• Tuesday, December 1st 2015 - 08:01 UTC

  Venezuelan Defense minister denies any coup, 'self-coup' or civilian-military junta

  

  The Venezuelan government sought Monday to downplay security fears around the country's upcoming legislative elections, rejecting the possibility of violence or a coup. With polls showing President Nicolas Maduro's populist movement on track for a landmark defeat by the opposition in Sunday's vote, speculation and rumors have swirled about possible violence or moves by the ruling party to cling to power.

• Monday, November 30th 2015 - 07:32 UTC

  OAS Secretary General open letter regarding Venezuela's pre-electoral climate

  

  The following open letter from the Organization of American States Secretary General Luis Almagro was addressed to president Nicolás Maduro regarding the pre-electoral climate in Venezuela, which is holding legislative elections next Sunday in very questionable and controversial conditions for opposition candidates.

• Saturday, November 28th 2015 - 08:10 UTC

  Unasur calls on Maduro to launch thorough investigation into the killing of opposition politician

  

  An electoral mission of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur), the body in charge of monitoring Venezuela’s upcoming elections on December 6, called on the authorities in Caracas to immediately launch a thorough investigation into the death of an opposition politician at a rally, barely two weeks before crucial parliamentary elections.

• Friday, November 27th 2015 - 08:21 UTC

  Maduro blames killing of opposition leader to score-settling among gangs

  

  Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Thursday the fatal shooting of an opposition leader appeared to be a gangland score-settling dismissing claim it was politically motivated ahead of elections. An attacker shot Luis Manuel Diaz dead on Wednesday evening in the central Guarico region at a campaign rally for the December 6 legislative elections, party officials said, ratcheting up fears that violence could erupt in the lead-up to the polls.

• Friday, November 27th 2015 - 06:28 UTC

  OAS calls for immediate end to violence in Venezuela

  

  The Organization of American States (OAS), secretary general Luis Almagro condemned the killing in Venezuela of an opposition leader during a political rally ahead of the 6 December legislative election, and called for an immediate end to violence in the country.

• Tuesday, November 24th 2015 - 11:29 UTC

  Venezuelan military involved in cocaine transport, claims New York Attorney Office

  

  The latest developments in the drug trafficking case with relatives of Venezuela’s first lady Cilia Flores indicate that the Venezuelan military is involved in transporting cocaine to Haiti for trans-shipment into the US.

• Tuesday, November 17th 2015 - 08:37 UTC

  Venezuela claims Maduro's nephews held in the US on cocaine smuggling charges were 'kidnapped'

  

  Two men said to be relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro who are being held in the United States on cocaine smuggling charges were “kidnapped,” a senior member of the ruling Socialist Party said on Monday.

• Monday, November 16th 2015 - 07:10 UTC

  Uruguay's ruling Broad Front coalition divided over Venezuela

  

  The strong 16 pages long letter sent by OAS (Organization of American States) secretary general Luis Almagro to Venezuelan electoral officials calling for transparency, international observers and freeing political prisoners, ahead of December 6 legislative elections, triggered an immediate furious insulting reaction from Venezuela's strongman Diosdado Cabello, but also again exposed a growing rift in the Uruguayan government.

• Saturday, November 14th 2015 - 11:37 UTC

  A Dominican connection in Venezuela's First Lady relatives drugs' case

  

  A drugs raid and bust in a yacht moored at a marina in the Dominican Republic is helping to understand the extent of the trafficking network business surrounding Venezuela's First Lady family connections, whose nephew and godson are under arrest in New York, according to media reports in Caracas.

• Saturday, November 14th 2015 - 11:07 UTC

  Venezuela's First Lady nephews unveil drug trafficking before New York court

  

  Two nephews of Venezuela's powerful first lady were ordered held without bail in New York on Thursday after being arrested in Haiti on charges of conspiring to smuggle 800 kilograms of cocaine into the U.S.