MiamiHerald.com: Venezuela

Fiber optic cable linking Cuba to Jamaica active

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:28 EDT

Cuba has activated a branch of its submarine fiber optic cable that connects to Jamaica, giving it greater bandwidth and a backup in case the main leg to Venezuela is not available, according to a U.S. company that monitors global Internet traffic.

Pro-government TV host at center of Venezuelan tape scandal steps down

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:10 EDT

Mario Silva, whose alleged comments provoked a brewing government scandal in Venezuela, stepped down from his television show Tuesday amid calls for a congressional investigation.

Venezuela parliament resumes 3 weeks after brawl

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:55 EDT

Venezuela's parliament roared back to life Tuesday with fractious debates between government and opposition lawmakers after a three-week paralysis following a brawl on the assembly floor.

Chávez ally paints picture of power struggles in alleged tape

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:39 EDT

Venezuela’s opposition released a tape of a conversation that pro-government television host Mario Silva allegedly had with a Cuban official. In it, Silva paints a picture of power struggles and corruption.

Venezuela opposition: Audio suggest Cuban meddling

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:47 EDT

Venezuela's opposition has released an audio recording that it says contains a prominent member of the ruling party discussing political strategy with a Cuban intelligence officer.

Dissident ex-general released in Venezuela

Sat, 18 May 2013 18:19 EDT

Venezuelan authorities have released a dissident ex-general who was jailed on charges of inciting unrest after the country's disputed presidential election.

Venezuela's military enters high-crime slums

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:58 EDT

Stern-looking soldiers clutching assault rifles wave down the beat-up Chevy Caprice entering this sprawling slum on the outskirts of Caracas.

Venezuelans scrambling to find scarce toilet paper

Thu, 16 May 2013 03:12 EDT

Venezuelans scrambled to stock up on toilet paper Thursday as fears of a bathroom emergency spread despite the socialist government's promise to import 50 million rolls.

Venezuela food maker denies blame for shortages

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:32 EDT

Venezuela's biggest food company on Monday hit back at President Nicolas Maduro's claims that it's to blame for the country's persistent food shortages.

Venezuela's 'Carlos the Jackal' seeks repatriation

Sun, 12 May 2013 20:58 EDT

A lawyer representing the convicted terrorist known as "Carlos the Jackal" is urging Venezuela's government to demand that France return her Venezuelan-born client to his homeland.

ICC asked to investigate alleged Venezuela abuse

Fri, 10 May 2013 22:33 EDT

A Venezuelan civil rights group has asked the International Criminal Court to investigate alleged physical and psychological abuse of detained young protesters at military bases following last month's disputed presidential election.

Venezuelan politics get personal, divide families

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:48 EDT

A portrait of Hugo Chavez stared down from a black metal frame as Jose Pastano sipped coffee after dinner with his sons in the slum house he shares with 17 relatives on the western edge of the capital.

Venezuela: US officials get access to American

Thu, 09 May 2013 16:58 EDT

Venezuela's government has granted U.S. diplomats access to a California man who is being held while he awaits trial on charges of espionage and fomenting unrest.

Venezuela leader, rivals take battle on the road

Wed, 08 May 2013 16:08 EDT

Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his Argentine counterpart and ally, Cristina Fernandez, announced new energy and food agreements Wednesday, then Maduro cheered supporters of Argentina's president with a rousing speech at a soccer-stadium rally.

Political tensions run high at Venezuela May Day rallies

Thu, 02 May 2013 13:54 EDT

The rallies were, ostensibly, to celebrate international workers day, and counted on the support of rival unions and labor organizations. But they were also a show of political strength in a nation still at odds over the April 14 presidential vote.

Andres Oppenheimer: U.S., Europe take new step to crack down on ‘tax havens’

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 23:10 EDT

While many of us were focused on the Boston bombings, Venezuela’s dubious elections and North Korea’s war noises in recent weeks, the world’s biggest nations took a potentially historic step — they launched a system to detect secret offshore bank accounts.

Andres Oppenheimer: Latin America’s fastest-growing economies of 2013

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:57 EDT

New economic projections from the World Bank and the United Nations show that Latin America countries will keep growing at moderate rates this year, except for the booming economies of three countries that start with the letter P — Paraguay, Panama and Peru.

Andres Oppenheimer: Venezuela’s Maduro off to a bad start

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:24 EDT

While media coverage of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s inauguration on Friday centered on the contested April 14 election results, a dramatic escalation of government human rights violations since the election has gone virtually unnoticed.

Maduro to take power amid questions and protests

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:36 EDT

Interim Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will be sworn in to office even as the opposition is calling for a recount of Sunday’s contested vote.

Tough-talking Nicolás Maduro is sworn in as Venezuela’s president

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:57 EDT

New Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro ended his inaugural address with a call for unity in a nation split by a bitterly contested election.