Venezuela

• Wednesday, July 22nd 2020 - 08:04 UTC

  US blacklists Venezuela Chief Justice and announces a US$ 5 million reward for his arrest

  

  The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Venezuelan Chief Justice Maikel Moreno and announced a US$ 5 million reward for information leading to his arrest or conviction for allegedly participating in transnational organized crime.

• Thursday, July 16th 2020 - 09:29 UTC

  Criminal gangs control Venezuelan Amazon mining gold, diamonds, coltan, UN report

  

  Some gold, diamond and bauxite mines in the Venezuelan Amazon are largely controlled by criminal gangs who exploit, beat, and even kill workers, a United Nations investigation has found. Venezuelan security and military forces fail to prevent crimes and have participated in some violence against miners, the UN human rights office said in a report on Wednesday.

• Thursday, July 16th 2020 - 07:22 UTC

  Venezuelan cases of the “Colombian virus”, accelerate at a rate of 30% every week

  

  Coronavirus cases in Venezuela have jumped in recent weeks and two top lieutenants of President Nicolas Maduro have tested positive, triggering warnings from health workers that the pandemic may overwhelm the country's already battered healthcare system.

• Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 09:46 UTC

  Venezuela's justice system “undermined”, fuelling impunity and human rights violations, US report

  

  The independence of Venezuela's justice system has been “considerably undermined”, fuelling impunity and human rights violations, the UN rights chief charged on Tuesday in a report.

• Wednesday, July 15th 2020 - 08:55 UTC

  Exxon resumes drilling in Guyana; local politics battle over the future oil revenue

  

  Exxon Mobil resumed drilling in Guyana last month, underscoring its dedication to the offshore hotspot despite the oil price crash and a messy turn in local politics.

• Tuesday, July 14th 2020 - 09:49 UTC

  Russia replaces Venezuela as supplier of heavy fuel to US refineries

  

  Russia kept fuel oil exports to the United States close to its record-highs in the first six months of this year, as Washington looks to replace the heavy Venezuelan barrels it stopped buying a year ago, traders said and data showed.

• Saturday, July 11th 2020 - 09:50 UTC

  Venezuelan oil minister tests positive for Covid-19

  

  Venezuelan oil minister Tareck El Aissami has tested positive for COVID-19, he said on Twitter on Friday, a day after the leader of the socialist party, Diosdado Cabello, tested positive for the virus as well.

• Thursday, July 9th 2020 - 09:51 UTC

  Maduro shuffles military high command, but General Padrino Lopez remains defense minister

  

  Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has shuffled his military high command but Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, a general, kept his post.

• Tuesday, July 7th 2020 - 09:44 UTC

  Trade development agreement between Venezuela and Turkey becomes effective August 21

  

  A new trade deal between Turkey and Venezuela, officially titled “Trade Development Agreement,” will enter into force on August 21, the Turkish T24 news website said on Saturday.

• Friday, July 3rd 2020 - 09:13 UTC

  Venezuela parliamentary elections scheduled for 6 December; opposition boycott, “no transparency conditions”

  

  Venezuela's National Electoral Council on Wednesday called parliamentary elections for December 6, with the opposition already vowing to boycott. The National Assembly parliament is the only government branch controlled by the opposition.