Humberto Marquez

CARACAS – After returning from a whirlwind tour abroad and as he prepares for his next one, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has kept busy on the diplomatic front, visiting convalescent Cuban leader Fidel Castro on his 80th birthday, replacing his foreign minister, and receiving Colombia’s new foreign minister. The Venezuelan government has expanded its diplomatic … Continue reading “Chávez Expands and Hardens His Diplomatic Thrust”

CARACAS – Several Dutch islands in the Caribbean, off the coast of Venezuela, have been caught in the middle of the war of words between the Venezuelan and U.S. governments, while the United States is getting ready to carry out naval exercises in the area. Dutch Defense Minister Henk Kamp recently remarked that Venezuelan President … Continue reading “Dutch Islands Caught Up in US-Venezuela Friction”

CARACAS – The atomic bomb that was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima 60 years ago, on Aug. 6, 1945, may have been the most crucial event of the 20th century. But it was not the top news story. That was because censorship and the manipulative media treatment of the tragic event, managed by … Continue reading “Hiroshima, the Top News Story That Wasn’t”

CARACAS – Venezuela has begun to train popular defense units to help defend the country in the event of war, although not all of the volunteers will receive weapons training. "Not all of the members of the reserves will be armed," said General Melvin López, secretary of the National Defense Council. "Each person will play … Continue reading “Venezuela: Citizen Reserves to Defend Against ‘External Aggression’”

CARACAS – One million books, 10 million documents, and 14,000 archaeological artifacts have been lost in the U.S.-led invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq – the biggest cultural disaster since the descendants of Genghis Khan destroyed Baghdad in 1258, Venezuelan writer Fernando Báez told IPS. "U.S. and Polish soldiers are still stealing treasures today and … Continue reading “Iraq Invasion the ‘Biggest Cultural Disaster Since 1258’”

CARACAS (IPS) – Some analysts say Colombia ordered the kidnapping of guerrilla leader Rodrigo Granda in the Venezuelan capital last month to prove to the United States that it is cooperating in the anti-terrorism “crusade,” although the cost has been a serious rupture in Colombian-Venezuelan relations. On Friday, leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced a … Continue reading “Did Colombia Kidnap Guerrilla Leader in Venezuela to Please US?”

CARACAS – Fighting between the Nigerian government and an ethnic rebel militia in the country’s eastern oil-producing Niger Delta region helped drive the price of oil up to $53 a barrel this week in a market that analysts say is experiencing a "new order" marked by lower spare production capacity. The price of U.S. benchmark … Continue reading “Revolt in Nigeria Fuels Oil Price Rise”

CARACAS – The Venezuelan army plans to acquire 40 Russian helicopters within the next few months in the first step towards a new "strategic alliance" with Moscow promoted by President Hugo Chávez, who is further marking his distance from Washington. The deal was agreed this week in the Russian capital by Vice President José Vicente … Continue reading “Russia-Venezuela Alliance Takes Flight”

CARACAS – Spain took a step aimed at smoothing relations between Bogota and Caracas by canceling the sale of 40 French-made AMX-30 tanks to the Colombian government. If the sale had gone through, the tanks’ guns would likely have pointed toward the Venezuelan border. This week, however, a new snag emerged in bilateral relations, with … Continue reading “Spanish Tank Sale Called Off, but Colombia-Venezuela Tension Remains”

CARACAS – For the past two and a half years, political polls in Venezuela showed that a majority of respondents were opposed to President Hugo Chávez. But that has now changed. Most of the latest polls have indicated that he is likely to win next Sunday’s recall referendum, when 14 million voters will decide whether … Continue reading “Venezuela: Polls Point to Likely Chávez Victory”