Venezuela

• Wednesday, April 17th 2013 - 23:06 UTC

  After the megalomaniac years of Chavez Venezuela is ready for a sober Maduro

  

  By R. Viswanathan (*) - The election of Nicolas Maduro, the chosen heir of Chavez, in last Sunday’s election, is good news for the peaceful and orderly transition of Venezuela after the abnormal, autocratic and quixotic rule of Chavez in the last fourteen years. If Capriles had won, the change would have been abrupt and traumatic for the Chavistas who might not have given up power so easily without some messy fight.

• Wednesday, April 17th 2013 - 08:06 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez and Mujica could overcome incident at Maduro’s ceremony in Caracas

  

  Argentina and Uruguay presidents could hold an unofficial meeting next Friday in Caracas when they attend the taking office ceremony of Venezuelan president next Friday, according to Montevideo diplomatic sources.

• Wednesday, April 17th 2013 - 07:54 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez calls on the US to recognize the Venezuelan government

  

  Argentine president Cristina Fernandez demanded the United States “recognizes the Venezuelan government” following on Sunday’s election in which Nicolas Maduro was confirmed as president despite a very tight margin (just over 1% of ballots) and challenges by the opposition candidate.

• Wednesday, April 17th 2013 - 02:50 UTC

  Capriles calls off protest rally after rioting left seven dead, and threats of more violence

  

  Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles called off a march by his supporters in Caracas planned for Wednesday, saying that his rivals were plotting to “infiltrate” the rally to trigger violence. Violent clashes at opposition protests over Venezuela's disputed presidential election have killed seven people, officials said as both sides mobilized supporters nationwide for new demonstrations.

• Tuesday, April 16th 2013 - 04:57 UTC

  Leading Chavista calls for deep self-criticism following Sunday’s tight vote for Maduro

  

  The president of the Venezuelan parliament and vice-president of the ruling Chavista party, Diosdado Cabello underlined the significance of Sunday’s presidential election and Nicolas Maduro’s victory, but also admitted that the results demand a strong ‘self criticism’.

• Tuesday, April 16th 2013 - 02:43 UTC

  Brazil, Unasur full support for Maduro & question Capriles attitude; US and OAS more cautious

  

  Despite opposition protests demanding a ballot recount, congratulations are pouring in for Venezuela’s proclaimed President Nicolas Maduro: Brazil, Argentina, Russia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Cuba, Unasur, although the OAS and the US have adopted a more cautious attitude.

• Tuesday, April 16th 2013 - 02:39 UTC

  Maduro proclaimed elected president; Capriles continues to protest for a recount of ballots

  

  Venezuela's election authority on Monday formally proclaimed Nicolas Maduro the winner of Sunday's presidential vote, despite insistence by the opposition that the ceremony be suspended until a complete recount of votes was carried out given the very tight result.

• Monday, April 15th 2013 - 06:39 UTC

  Capriles won’t accept presidential result until “every vote is recounted, one by one”

  

  Denouncing election irregularities, Venezuelan opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski demanded a recount and said early Monday that he will not recognize the country's presidential results ”until every vote is counted”. His comments came less than an hour after officials said the man former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez handpicked to be his successor had won the country's presidential vote.

• Monday, April 15th 2013 - 06:07 UTC

  Bad start for Maduro: Capriles showing debilitates him inside the Bolivarian nomenclature

  

  Following five hours of a long recount process Venezuela’s National Electoral Council announced early Monday morning that acting president Nicolas Maduro is the new head of state, having defeated Henrique Capriles by less than a two percentage point difference.

• Friday, April 12th 2013 - 06:54 UTC

  Maduro pledges he will be elected president and later ‘president’ of Mercosur

  

  In his closing massive campaign rally in Caracas, Thursday evening incumbent candidate Nicolas Maduro pledged that next Sunday he will win the Venezuelan presidential election and later will take over the presidency of Mercosur.