Section » Venezuela

Venezuela on brink of default

elpais.comreported “We are going to pay the amount due in the next few weeks. We have the fortitude and capacity to continue to fully meet our international obligations this year,” President Nicolás Maduro said during a meeting with his economic team in Caracas last week. Although the statement was applauded, there are reasons to question whether Venezuela has the resources to pay.

The country must come up with $6 billion to cover its sovereign debt and loans owed through the state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa), this October. Since taking office in February 1999, the Bolivarian Revolution has made punctual payments on its debts. But now that the government holds an unbalanced balance sheet, there is reasonable doubt as to whether Venezuela – the country with the largest crude oil reserves on the planet and more than $100 billion in oil exports on average every year – has enough resources to meet its obligations. Read Article

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Venezuela: First it was toilet paper, now oldest newspaper cannot find printing paper

theguardian.com reported Venezuela’s oldest newspaper will stop publishing next week because it cannot find printing paper, the latest victim of a shifting media landscape triggered by shortages. “As of Monday the 15th, and for a time we anxiously hope will be as short as possible, the mouthpiece of the people of Lara state will cease […]

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Venezuela: INFLATION RATE 63.4%

BBC.COM reported…Venezuela’s annual inflation rate has risen to 63.4%, the highest in Latin America, according to official figures published on Tuesday. The figures are the first released by the central bank since May, which has led critics to accuse the government of withholding data for political reasons. The poor state of the economy, among other […]

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Caracas Venezuela: Doctors, Nurses Protest for lack of medical supplies

DOCTORS BEING ASSAULTED BY PATIENT’S FAMILIES noticiascaracol.com reported they belong to a public hospital in which relatives, angry at the lack of inputs, have attacked medical personnel. In Caracas, Venezuela, doctors and nurses in a public hospital protested aggressions suffered by relatives of the patients. Medical professionals say that they have no protection and can […]

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Venezuela: Fox 21 spy tv show denounced as “hostile” and “imperialist

theguardian.com reported critics have mostly ignored the new US spy drama Legends, but it’s creating a furore in Venezuela. Officials in the South American country are denouncing the show for portraying the socialist government stockpiling nerve gas to quash dissent. The telecommunications commission opened an investigation on Tuesday into the series over an episode in […]

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Venezuela’s crude oil shipments to allies falls to five year low

mercopress.com reported Venezuela cheap oil and fuel shipments to allies fall to a five-year low Venezuela’s shipments of crude oil and fuel to its allies have fallen to a five-year low as a weak economy hits its ability to uphold accords that former president Hugo Chávez struck to lower energy costs for friends and expand […]

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Venezuela: Commandos activate to Oriente to combat smuggling

noticierovenevision.net reported the g/d Néstor Reverol Segundo Comandante and Chief of staff of the guard national Bolivarian (GNB) formalised the deactivation of the number 7 Regional command in the East to start the activation of the new area commands of the military body in Anzoátegui, Sucre and Monagas. Read Article

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Air Traffic Numbers Down Substantially to Venezuela

bbc.co.uk reported silence gives a rare sense of calm. People walk without effort. Go through security, removed shoes included, do not take more than five minutes. Many Duty Free shops are closed. And those that are open, empty. The airport Simon Bolivar international, the largest in Venezuela, seems to be one of those affected by […]

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Machete Malware hacking its way through Latin America

ECUADOR, VENEZUELA, COLOMBIA BIGGEST VICTIMS IN LATIN AMERICA What is “Machete”? SECURELIST.COM REPORTED…”Machete” is a targeted attack campaign with Spanish speaking roots. We believe this campaign started in 2010 and was renewed with an improved infrastructure in 2012. The operation may be still “active”. The malware is capable of the following cyber-espionage operations: Logging keystrokes […]

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Venezuela: Mandatory Fingerprinting in Supermarkets, to combat shortages, smuggling

bbc.com reported President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela has announced a mandatory fingerprinting system in supermarkets to combat food shortages and smuggling. He said the system would stop people from buying too much of a single item. But the opposition in Venezuela rejected the plan, saying the policy treated all Venezuelans as thieves. Critics said fingerprinting […]

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Venezuela seizes in five days contraband from smuggling equal to the total for 2013

portafoloio.co reported according to Venezuelan authorities, seizures in less than a week were 96 tonnes of food and almost 300,000 litres of diesel oil, petrol and lubricants Venezuelan. The Government of Venezuela said that in the past five days seized a volume of products seeking to be removed from smuggling to Colombia which outclasses all […]

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Venezuela Medical Crisis, Hospitals are Virtually Closed

HOSPITALS ARE VIRTUALLY CLOSED portafolio.co reported for the President of the Venezuelan medical Federation, Douglas León Natera, Venezuelan hospitals are “virtually closed”. In its estimates, 98 percent of them does not operate. “If you see open is because the team strives to fulfill the work under your own risk,” said. It has, for example, that […]

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Venezuela deploys 17,000 troops along border with Colombia

bbc.com reported Venezuela says it has deployed 17,000 troops along its border with Colombia, which was closed on Monday for the first time as part of an anti-smuggling operation. Up to 40% of goods Venezuela subsidises for its domestic market are smuggled to Colombia, where they are sold at much higher prices, the authorities say. […]

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Colombia: ELN launches grenades at Police at José Antonio Páez International Bridge

eltiempo.com reported with two fragmentation grenades guerrillas harassed police of highways and tax customs who were bet on the international bridge José Antonio Páez, which connects to the populations of El Amparo, Venezuela Apure State and the Department of Arauca. Confirmed the Commander of the police institution, Colonel Camilo Ernesto Álvarez Ochoa, in action that […]

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Venezuela: Tourist Island of Margarita suffering extreme shortages of commodities

ultimasnoticias.com.ve reporte -The President of the Chamber of Commerce of Nueva Esparta, Theodore Bellorin, explained that the Government grants to a very small group of entrepreneurs Bs 11 currencies, while most assigned them to Bs 50, which creates distortions in prices and stimulates the shortages on the island. Interviewed by Unión Radio, Bellorin said Monday […]

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Venezuela: Despite Severe Economic Crisis, Arms Spending Continues

infobae.com reported in Venezuela, 2014 was marked by massive student protests that led to the brutal repression of the Government of Nicolás Maduro. So strange that the chavismo is not proceed in its arms race. So far year, defense spending ranks fifth in priorities, above other 36 portfolios and agencies, with a budget of 35 […]

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Venezuela initiates investigation of companies for inappropriate use of hard currencies

prensa latina reported the Venezuelan Prosecutor”s Office this week issued a list of 116 companies under investigation for alleged inappropriate use of hard currencies, official sources said on Saturday. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the list of companies was sent to the National Foreign Trade Center (CENCOEX), the institution that is verifying the use of […]

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U.S. bans travel for some Venezuelans responsible for human rights abuses

bbc.com reported officials did not specify how many people would be affected, but said those “who have been responsible for or complicit in human rights abuses” would not be “welcome” in the US. The Venezuelan opposition has been lobbying for sanctions since thousands of protesters were detained during anti-government protests. At least 43 people were […]

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Venezuela Signs Oil, Mineral deals with China

bbc.com reported Chinese President Xi Jinping has signed a series of oil and mineral deals with Venezuela. They include a $4bn (£2.34bn) credit line in return for Venezuelan crude and other products. The agreements came on the latest stop of a four-country visit to Latin America. Read Article

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Miami FL: Venezuelan detained trying to smuggle marine wildlife out of U.S.

blogs.miaminewtimes.com reported Venezuelan national Oscar Cordova-Cobian was charged with smuggling marine wildlife after TSA agents at Miami International Airport found more than 100 specimens of live corals, clams, and fish in his checked luggage. Cordova-Cobian nearly got away with his crustacean caper. The 42-year-old had already passed through MIA security and was waiting to board […]

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LAN, TAM Airlines reach agreement with Venezuela regarding disbursement of unremitted funds

ch-aviation.com reported LAN Airlines (LA, Santiago de Chile Int’l) and partner TAM Linhas Aéreas (JJ, São Paulo Congonhas) have reportedly reached an agreement with Venezuelan government concerning the partial disbursement of unremitted ticket-sale funds. In a statement issued on July 20, the LATAM Airlines Group announced it had accepted Caracas’ proposal in regards to the […]

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Oldest Daily Newspaper in Venezuela Sold

www.ifex.org reported “That’s the way it is”, Elides J. Rojas L., El Universal’s managing editor, said in a post on his blog on the publication’s website on Saturday explaining the sale of one of Venezuela’s oldest independent newspapers. Rojas confirmed the sale of the publication last weekend and mentioned that its editorial line will not […]

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Caracas Venezuela: German Tourist Murdered Outside Hotel during robbery

eluniversal.com reported two dead and one wounded person was the balance that left the shooting happened yesterday after the 3 p.m. entrance main of the Eurobuilding Hotel in urbanizacion Chuao, East of Caracas, when three criminals were allegedly robbing a German tourist who had just arrived to the country, in a Lufthansa airline flight, and […]

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Venezuela: First there was a shortage of toilet paper, now shortage of coffins

ntn24.com reported Venezuelan funeral homes are struggling to find coffins, with production crimped by a shortage of brass, varnish and satin, complicating the process of burying the dead in one of the world’s most murderous countries. Undertakers are borrowing coffins from each other or traveling to Colombia to get hold of them. Read Article

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Cucuta Colombia: Destination for Venezuelans seeking exchange for dollars

NPR.org reported Venezuelans in need of U.S. dollars are restricted by government controls in the amount they can purchase legally. So many head across the border to Colombia. Hundreds of money-changers are at work in the border town of Cucuta, which also sets the exchange rate for the black market in Venezuela. Read Article

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Venezuela: Malaria cases on pace to break all-time record in 2014

eluniversal.com reported this year it seems that malaria will once again break all-time highs in terms of the number of cases registered in the country and is that at last Epidemiological bulletin of the Ministry of health, which comprises of 18-24 may record a total of 31,761 cases of this disease in the country. An […]

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South American Leaders Reject effort by U.S. to apply sanctions on Venezuela

abcnews.go.com/ap reported South American governments have rejected an effort by U.S. lawmakers to apply sanctions on Venezuela over human rights concerns. Foreign ministers from the 12-member Union of South American Nations issued a statement Friday saying that the proposed legislation would constitute a violation of Venezuela’s internal affairs and undermine attempts by regional diplomats and […]

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Chacao Venezuela: Police deployed seize areas, use tear gas

eluniversal.com reported that police officers were deployed across the main avenues of Chacao, east Caracas on Tuesday. Three raids were conducted in apartments and businesses. For 66 days, locals have been dealing with anti-government protests and repression by authorities. Read Article

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Venezuela: Since Feb 14′, 181 journalists have been targeted

ntn24.com reported a total of 181 journalists have been the target of attacks, thefts or arbitrary detentions in Venezuela since the start of anti-government protests two months ago, a reporters’ union said Saturday. The Union of Press Workers said 60 percent of the attacks were carried out by security forces, with just a quarter done […]

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Venezuela: President accuses three generals of plotting coup

theguardian.com reported the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, has added three generals to the growing list of people and entities he accuses of plotting against him. Maduro announced on Tuesday that his socialist administration had brought three air force generals before a military tribunal on charges of plotting a coup as anti-government protests continue across the […]

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Venezuela: A Culture of Kidnapping

Miamiherald.com Juan said he had participated in five kidnappings — including one that went fatally wrong. But he said his gang, which has about 15 members, has kidnapped scores of people. “First we pick the person, like the owner of a bakery or a business owner, and then we follow him for two to three […]

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Exports from Ecuador to Venezuela takes deep plunge

WSJ.com reported that Ecuador’s exports to Venezuela last year was more than halved to $464 million as political and economic turmoil in Venezuela and a crackdown at home on the fraudulent use of a virtual currency took their toll. Having benefited in the past from weak production in Venezuela, a niche market where it has […]

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Venezuela: Foreign Minister labels Sec of State Kerry a murderer

bbc.com reported that Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Elias Jaua has accused US Secretary of State John Kerry of inciting violence and called him a “murderer”. Mr Jaua was reacting to comments by Mr Kerry, who accused Venezuela of waging a “terror campaign against its own people” in its response to protests. Venezuela has repeatedly accused the […]

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Valencia Venezuela: Three die in revived protests

Three people have died in fresh protests in Venezuela, this time in the central city of Valencia. A policeman and two other men were shot dead in separate incidents. In Caracas, Venezuelan government supporters and opposition demonstrators took to the streets to hold rival marches. The marches mark one month since the current protest movement […]

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San Cristóbal Venezuela: Student Leader Murdered in Protests

theguardian.com reported that aay of clashes in San Cristóbal between government troops, militias and demonstrators culminates in killing. A Venezuelan student leader was fatally shot on Monday night in the western university city of San Cristóbal after a long day of street clashes in which security forces attacked and dismantled barricades at key intersections. Daniel […]

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Venezuela: More members ofintelligenceagency detained on murder charges during protests

theguardian.com reported that five more members of a Venezuelan national intelligence agency have been arrested on murder charges related to the shooting of two people during anti-government protests. The five agents of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (BNIS) were present at street clashes in Caracas on 12 February in which 24-year-old university student Bassil Da […]

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Ojeda Venezuela Military Action Against Citizens (Video)

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Táchira Venezuela: Life out of Control (Video)

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Venezuela: People’s Guard Disrespects Elderly (PHOTO)

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Tachira Venezuela moves paratroopers in on reports of paramilitary missions from Colombia

Globalpost.com reported that the Venezuelan government ordered paratroopers Thursday to a border city where growing student protests began over two weeks ago, with President Nicolas Maduro angrily rejecting US calls for dialogue. The nationwide demonstrations, led by students and the opposition, have left at least four people dead and dozens hurt in the biggest challenge […]

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San Cristóbal Venezuela: Video of Military vehicles driving through burning streets

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San Cristóbal, Venezuela: Hit hard by recent violence, internet blackout, militarized zone

caracaschronicles.com reported…No place in Venezuela has been hit harder by the recent violence than San Cristóbal, the city of 650,000 up in the Andes where the current bout of protests started 18 days ago. Last night, the authorities shut down internet service to the whole city, which explains why so few YouTube videos have emerged […]

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Venezuela opposition leader in court over criminal charges (Video)

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Push by U.S. change regime in Venezuela, mistake

US support for regime change in Venezuela is a mistake theguardian.com reported that the US push to topple the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro once again pits Washington against South America When is it considered legitimate to try and overthrow a democratically-elected government? In Washington, the answer has always been simple: when the US government […]

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Venezuela: Wednesday night government unleashes full out assault on unarmed protesters

thegailygrind.com reported that Wednesday night, Venezuela’s government unleashed a full out assault on unarmed student protesters after a week of demonstrations that have left six dead and at least 100 injured. Information is slowly trickling out of Venezuela after a complete media black-out was put in place by the Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro. Information is […]

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Venezuela: Police fire tear gas to disperse protesters

ahram.org.eg reported that Venezuelan police fired tear gas and buckshot to disperse hundreds of anti-government protesters late Wednesday, and the death toll from two weeks of unrest rose to four. As US President Barack Obama urged the government to release detainees, hospital officials said a 21-year-old former beauty queen in the northern city of Valencia […]

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Protests in Venezuela follow a pattern

Commondreams.org reported…Venezuela’s latest round of violent protests appears to fit a pattern, and represents the tug-and-pull nature of the country’s divided opposition. Several times over the past 15 years since the late, former president Hugo Chávez took office in 1999, the political opposition has launched violent protests aimed at forcing the current president out of […]

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VenEconomy: Venezuela is a Pressure Cooker at Boiling Point

LAHT.com reported….From the Editors of VenEconomy In Venezuela, unfortunately, it seems like a pressure cooker put on an unattended burner years ago containing multiple abuses, illegalities and violations against the Rule of Law and Justice as main ingredients is at boiling point. A legitimate claim from students after the mugging and attempted rape of a […]

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News Blackout Venezuela (Video)

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Venezuela: Maduro claims will not step down (video)

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Venezuela: US consular officials expelled as protests continue (Video)

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Venezuela, protests growing (Video)

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Venezuela: Protesters march to media regulator’s office (Video)

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Venezuela Conflict 2014 (Video)

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Venezuela expels three U.S. embassy staff

taipeitimes.com reported that Venezuela’s president said the US had been plotting against him, and called for supporters to march at the site of an opposition rally, with clashes likely. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday ordered the expulsion of three US embassy officials after Washington came to the defense of an opposition hardliner accused by […]

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Significant outbreak of Chagas Disease in Venezuela

Chagas disease has been added to the list of ailments with a significant outbreak throughout Venezuela. According to the Ministry of Health, only in the first three weeks of 2014, 334 events of the dangerous infection were recorded. For instance, the week of January 12-18, 175 cases of the infection caused by the parasite Trypanosoma […]

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Margarita Island Venezuela: German tourist murdered outside shopping center

Reuters.com reported that an elderly German tourist has been murdered by a gunman outside a shopping mall on Margarita Island Venezuela. The event occurred last Friday, authorities said, in the latest incident illustrating the country’s rampant crime. The victim was identified as Goldhahm Hors Kurt, 76, from Germany. Read Article

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Venezuela: First it was toilet paper shortage, now paper shortage shutting down newspaper presses

france24.com reported that a shortage of paper in Venezuela is forcing some local newspapers to stop printing their editions and others to scale down publications. Rights groups fear the freedom of the press is once again under threat in the South American country. On January 21, El Expreso, a regional daily in the southeastern state […]

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Venezuela: Average of Five Trade Unionists murdered each month in 2013

lahora.com.ec reported that an average of five workers per month, mostly trade unionists, were murdered in Venezuela during 2013, according to a report released Monday by the NGO Venezuelan Observatory of Social conflict (SVCO), which accounted for 59 violent deaths of employees and Union members last year. “In this period were 59 murders of workers […]

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Three More Airlines Suspend ticket sales in Venezuela, owed billions of dollars

Three more international airlines on Friday joined the list of companies that have suspended ticket sales in Venezuela, complaining that the government owes them billions of dollars. U.S.-based American Airlines and United Airlines and Panama’s Copa Airlines said they were halting ticket sales in Venezuela in lieu of the government’s failure to pay arrears that […]

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Venezuela delays publishing monthly inflation data

Venezuela has delayed publishing its closely watched monthly inflation data, sparking opposition accusations that the figures might be manipulated to suit President Nicolas Maduro’s “economic offensive” to bring prices down. The Central Bank is supposed to publish the latest consumer price index within the first 10 days of the month. But no information on November […]

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Venezuelans finding it difficult to purchase airline tickets for foreign travel with bolivars

Bloomberg.com reported tickets from American Airlines Inc., Grupo Aeromexico SAB and Avianca Holdings SA among others have become harder to buy in Venezuela since September, as tighter currency controls make it more difficult for companies to convert bolivars into dollars. The shortage of greenbacks to fund imports of goods and services led the bolivar to […]

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Caracas Venezuela most expensive city for expatriates

abs-cbnnews.com reported What is the most expensive city for expatriates around the world? No, it’s not Tokyo, Japan, which has always topped the list of “most expensive” cities. Caracas, Venezuela edged Tokyo to top the global list of most expensive locations for international assignees for the first time, according to the latest Cost of Living […]

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Air France Flight from Caracas Venezuela to Paris grounded, possible target of terrorist plot

independent.co.uk reported that an Air France flight bound for Paris has been grounded following reports that it may have been the target of a terrorist plot. The plane was scheduled to leave Venezuela at 7.25pm on Saturday night, but was prevented from taking off after French intelligence services received a tip-off about plans to blow […]

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Venezuela stops two aircraft violating airspace

plenglish.com reported..Venezuelan authorities reported actions that were taken today against two aircraft that violated national airspace, as part of ensuring the country’s territorial integrity. General Vladimir Padrino, chief of the Operational Strategic Command of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (CEOFAMB), said the first aircraft was detected on November 30 and monitored as it flew over […]

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Venezuela: President declares alert after alleged sabotage of electrical grid

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has reported that the power outage that affected the center and western part of the country last night was due to sabotage provoked by government opponents. Read Article

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Communism spreading through Venezuela

laht.com …. December 2 marked the 10th anniversary of that Monday back in 2002 when Venezuela kicked off the so-called National Civic Stoppage, whose protagonists were all the nationals committed to the democratic system and citizen freedoms established by the National Constitution. Back then, millions of Venezuelans expressed in a radical manner their discontent about […]

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Caracas Venezuela: Massive power blackout, suggestion of possible sabotage

bbc.co.uk reported that a massive power cut plunged the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, and other cities into darkness on Monday evening. The Caracas metro ground to a halt and people had to be evacuated from shops and offices. President Nicolas Maduro tweeted that the cut had been triggered in the same place as an outage in […]

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Criminal Gangs Shipping Fuel from Venezuela to Colombia, paid for with cocaine

bloomberg.com reported…. Criminal gangs are shipping the equivalent of 60 to 100 tankers of subsidized Venezuelan fuel per day into Colombia, much of it paid for with cocaine, according to the Colombian government. Between 10 percent and 15 percent of fuel used by Colombian drivers is smuggled from neighboring countries, Juan Ricardo Ortega, the head […]

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Venezuela: Oil Diplomacy in Crisis

miamiherald.com (AP) reported The late President Hugo Chavez’s dream of leveraging Venezuela’s oil wealth to spread revolution across Latin America is crumbling under the weight of an economic crisis that is forcing his hand-picked successor to cut back on generous foreign aid. Signs of the country’s waning influence are becoming more apparent. In early November… […]

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Venezuela accuses the U.S. of meddling

Eluniverso.com reported the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry yesterday accused United States of “meddling” once the State Department expressed that his country is “concerned” by the sweeping powers granted to the President Nicolas Maduro to rule by decree for a year. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry expressed its “deep, more categorical and energetic rejection” such statements. […]

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Venezuela: Congress grants President Maduro wide ranging special powers

aljazeera.com reported that Venezuela’s National Assembly has granted President Nicolas Maduro wide-ranging special powers to rule by decree for one year so that he can fix the economy. Tuesday’s vote over the Enabling Law is the latest move by the elected Venezuelan leader, a protégé of the late President Hugo Chavez, to strengthen his hand […]

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Venezuela: Mayoral elections to be held Dec. 8, 2013

venezuelanalysis.com reported that the mayoral elections campaign has seen an increase in economic sabotage aimed at incapacitating the government of President Nicolas Maduro and, says Francisco Dominguez, presents a threat not unlike that faced decades ago by Salvador Allende in Chile. Mayoral elections are to be held in Venezuela on December 8. Every mayoralty will […]

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Venezuela: government occupies retail chain Daka for alleged price-gouging

theguardian.com reported that – Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government “occupied” a chain of electronics stores in a high-profile crackdown on what it regards as price-gouging that is crippling the country’s economy. Authorities arrested managers the five-store, 500-employee Daka chain, sent troops into the shops and forced the company to start selling products at cheaper […]

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Venezuela: Reporter from the Miami Herald expected to be released soon

An American reporter who has been held by Venezuelan authorities since Thursday is expected to be released this weekend, according to the Miami Herald. Jim Wyss, the Herald’s Bogota-based Andean bureau chief, was reporting near the Colombian border on Venezuela’s “chronic shortages and looming municipal elections”, the newspaper said in a story published on its […]

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Guyana: October 2013, U.S. oil search ship detained by Venezuela navy

prokerala.com reported that Guyana has said that the Venezuelan Navy entered its territorial waters and detained a US-operated ship. The Venezuelan actions in the disputed Essequibo region constituted “a serious threat to peace in the region”, Guyana said, adding that the ship belongs to Texas-based company Anadarko, which has been granted a contract to look […]

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Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela on map of among least friendly to foreign visitors

Washingtonpost.com (blogs) reported – Buried several hundred pages into a new World Economic Forum report on global tourism, past the sections on air travel infrastructure and physician density (by which they mean the number of physicians per capita, not the mass-per-cubic-meter of individual doctors), are some very interesting numbers. The WEF has compiled survey data […]

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Venezuela: President calls for liberation of Twitter in Latin America

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called for the liberation of Latin America from Twitter, arguing that the American company attacked 6,600 accounts, including his own. “We must achieve independence, and we have to think about deep and radical ways we can free ourselves from these multinational corporations that have monopolized social networks,” Maduro told ministers […]

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Tower of David Caracas Venezuela – Video

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Venezuela: Inflation up 4.4 percent September 2013, 38.7 percent for year

The consumer price index in Venezuela rose 4.4% in September, bringing accumulated inflation in the first nine months of the year was 38.7%, more than three times the 11.5% that accumulated this same height 2012. The Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) said in a statement that these figures influenced the increase of agricultural products (4.0%), […]

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Venezuela threatens to oust all U.S. diplomats

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has threatened to expel all US diplomats from the country, days after he ordered the expulsion of three US embassy diplomats, accusing them of plotting to sabotage the economy. “First, I threw out their advance team working to destabilize the nation. Now if they push it with funny stuff, I will […]

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Venezuelans Uncover Loophole to Obtain U.S. Dollars

The wonderful economics nerds at Marginal Revolution just dug up a doozy: Venezuelan flights are sold out for the next six months, but are leaving half empty. Why? They’re part of a currency-trading scam that speaks volumes, and goes like this: OSINT SERVICES CUSTOMIZED FOR YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS – 24 HOUR COVERAGE IN LATIN AMERICA […]

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Expulsions demonstrate continued tension between Venezuela and U.S.

Washingtontimes.com reported that Tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats by Venezuela and the United States this week show there has been little thawing in the tense relations between the two nations — more than six months after the death of outspoken Washington critic President Hugo Chavez and a week after President Obama was willing to talk by […]

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Venezuela: Globovisión target of investigation for coverage of shortages

RSF.org reported that Globovisión, a TV station that is used to being harassed by the National Communications Commission (CONATEL) and other government agencies, has been the target of a new CONATEL investigation since 30 September. The station is facing a possible fine of up to 10 per cent of its annual income for its coverage […]

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Another Oil Firm Decides to Leave Venezuela

uk.reuters.com reported that Lukoil, Russia’s second-biggest oil producer, wants to sell its stake in a Russian consortium developing a large oil project in Venezuela because it is not a high priority, Lukoil’s head said on Wednesday. Venezuela is the world’s 11th largest crude exporter but foreign companies operating there have faced price controls and currency […]

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Tit for Tat: U.S.retaliates and expels three Venezuelan diplomats

Three Venezuelan diplomats are being expelled from the US after Caracas expelled three American officials, the US State Department says. The diplomats, who include charge d’affaires Calixto Ortega Rios, have been given 48 hours to leave. On Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accused the US diplomats of plotting to sabotage the economy.He said he had […]

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Clandestine Airstrips Guajira Colombia being used to ship drugs to Venezuela

VIDEO IN SPANISH DOES YOUR FIRM NEED HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED MEDIA MONITORING SERVICES FOR LATIN AMERICA? – GO HERE mundinews.com reported In the Colombian Guajira are clandestine, tolerated by the Colombian authorities, as used by rebel groups to drug trafficking and weapons to Venezuela, said Sunday the journalist and politician José Vicente Rangel in section The […]

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Venezuela: Toilet Paper Factory taken over by government to avoid nationwide shortage.

globalpost.com reported that Venezuela’s government has temporarily taken over a toilet paper factory in order to avoid a nationwide shortage. The National Guard has taken control of the Manufacturas de Papel plant, and authorities will now oversee and monitor its production. The move comes as the nation struggles with a shortage of paper goods. The […]

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Venezuela: Three National Guard Members Arrested for smuggling cocaine on Air France flight

Reuters.com reported that Venezuela has arrested three National Guard officials for alleged involvement in smuggling 1.3 tonnes of cocaine on an Air France flight from Caracas to Paris, the South American nation’s public prosecutor’s office said on Sunday. The seizure of the cocaine haul valued at as much as 200 million euros ($270.19 million) comes […]

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16 dead in Venezuela prison riots

laht.com reported that at least 16 prisoners died in a prison riot in the western state of Zulia, the Cabinet minister in charge of Venezuela’s penitentiaries said Tuesday. “Fifteen people died …. There is one person, number 16, who also died but in another area not involved in the internal war that there was … […]

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Venezuela: Radio Station Voz del Orinoco closed down by government for insighting rebellion

laht.com reported that Venezuelan Tourism Minister Andres Izarra said the radio station Voz del Orinoco, which broadcasts in the southern state of Amazonas, was closed down because of its “call to rebellion” and for “creating divisions among Venezuelans.” “They were openly making a call to rebellion, a radio station, the radio station of Liborio Guarulla […]

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Venezuela – Syria Connection

rijock.com reported that….If you read any Latin American news, you know that Venezuela supports the Syrian Assad regime, and even delivered a tanker full of diesel to a Syrian port recently, helping to fuel the Syrian war machine. What you don’t know, however is that there is a substantial population of ethnic Syrians living in […]

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Zulia, Venezuela: Two Sentenced for Involvement in Sex Trafficking Network

On August 29, 2013 Aporrea Noticias reported that Ramón Perozo Escalona and Nanras Suárez Rubio have been indicted for their involvement in a prostitution ring in the state of Zulia. The two defendants had been accused of trafficking adolescent girls for sexual exploitation, involving an adolescent in committing a crime, and supplying harmful substances. The […]

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Two Colombians Arrested In Planned Murder of Venezuelan President

Plenglish.com reported that the Venezuelan intelligence services arrested two young men of Colombian nationality for their possible involvement in plans to murder Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, said today the Minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, Miguel Rodríguez. According to Rodriguez, Colombian-born citizens Erick Leonardo Huerta (18 years) and Victor Johan Güeche (22) entered this South […]

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Two Africans and Four Colombians Arrested for Human Trafficking in Colombia

On August 15, 2013 El Colombiano Noticias reported the arrest of two Africans and four Colombian citizens on charges of human trafficking. The arrests occurred Monday in Bogotá, Medellin, Turbo and Gamarra. The suspects are accused of involvement in a criminal organization that trafficked immigrants to Panama with a final destination in the United States. […]

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Falcón, Venezuela: Authorities Seize 1.2 Tons of Marijuana in Route to Caracas

From lainformacion.com on August 12, 2013- Venezuelan authorities seized 1,241 kilos of marijuana that was hidden inside a truck carrying fish to Caracas from Maracaibo. The seizure was carried out by members of the Bolivarian National Guard at a highway checkpoint. Two suspects were arrested, the driver and an additional passenger, both Venezuelan. So far […]

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Venezuela: Major fire Puerta La Cruz Refinery, evacuations

The state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) initially reported incident confirmed tweeters. Nearby residents have been evacuated. A fire occurred on Sunday afternoon in Puerto La Cruz refinery of 187,000 barrels per day (bpd) capacity, said the vice president of Refining Venezuela state oil company (PDVSA). “We have the fire confined to the lagoon, we expect […]

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Mexico City, Mexico: 32 Sex Trafficking Victims Rescued in Upscale Zona Rosa Neighborhood

On August 10, 2013 Zócalo Saltillo Noticias reported the rescue of 26 foreign women and six Mexican women, the apparent victims of sex trafficking, from the Zona Rosa neighborhood of Mexico City. The rescued foreign victims include Russian, Ukrainian, Venezuelan and Colombian nationals. Police also arrested three of the suspected traffickers, while not ruling out […]

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Tachira, Venezuela: 86 Kilos of Cocaine Seized Shed Light on New Trafficking Routes

From Noticias 24 on August 6, 2013- Members of the Bolivarian National Guard seized 86 kilos of high purity cocaine at the Guarumito checkpoint in the Táchira state. The drugs originated in Colombia and their destination was the central part of Venezuela. Two suspects were apprehended, one Colombian and one Venezuelan. This incident sheds light […]

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Venezuela: Authorities have Seized More than 34 Tons of Drugs in 2013

From lainformacion.com on August 4, 2013- According the Venezuelan government, the Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela has seized 34,889.609 kilos of various drugs in 2013. 14,732.356 kilos of cocaine, 20,129.857 kilos of marijuana, 11.614 kilos of heroin, 11.369 kilos of basuco, and 4.413 kilos of crack. During the entirety of 2012 the Bolivarian National Guard […]

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