by Alexander MARTINEZ Agence France-Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) – The latest developments in Venezuela’s political crisis have dealt a severe blow to President Nicolas Maduro — severe, but not fatal, for one key reason: the military still backs him. The National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela pointedly reiterated their loyalty to Maduro on Thursday, a day after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself the country’s acting president. In a statement read out to the […]
Tag: Maduro
13 dead in two days of Venezuela unrest: rights group
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Thirteen people have died during two days of unrest in Venezuela amid protests against leftist leader Nicolas Maduro, a Caracas-based rights group reported Wednesday. The deaths, mostly from gunshot wounds, were recorded in the capital and across the country, along with reports of looting in Brazilian border state Bolivar, the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict told AFP. Unrest first kicked off on Monday when 27 soldiers rose up against Maduro at a […]
Regional powers recognize Maduro opponent as interim leader
DAVOS, Switzerland (AFP) — The United States, Canada and major South American nations recognized the head of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled legislature as the country’s interim leader on Wednesday, leaving President Nicolas Maduro increasingly isolated. Major regional players Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru and Argentina all gave their backing to Juan Guaido’s self-proclamation as Venezuela’s acting president, which he made in front of crowd of tens of thousands of supporters in Caracas. Mexico, however, stood apart, saying it […]
Venezuela opposition leader names self ‘acting president’
by Maria Isabel SANCHEZ Agence France Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — The head of Venezuela’s opposition-led National Assembly proclaimed himself “acting president” Wednesday in a bid to oust leftist leader Nicolas Maduro, immediately winning the backing of regional powers led by the United States. Tens of thousands jammed the streets of Caracas in an outpouring of support for Juan Guaido amid a dire economic crisis that has devastated the once rich oil-producing country. “I swear […]
Maduro dismisses legitimacy questions as second term looms
by Maria Isabel SANCHEZ / Alexander MARTINEZ Agence France Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will begin his second mandate on Thursday plagued by accusations of illegitimacy and increasing international isolation in a country crippled by an economic crisis. The 56-year-old leader will be sworn in by the Supreme Court rather than the sidelined — and opposition controlled — parliament having been reelected in May in a poll boycotted by the majority […]
Venezuela’s Maduro seeks deals with ‘big sister’ China
BEIJING, China (AFP) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro hailed China as a “big sister” as he prepared to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping Friday, hoping to broker economic deals for his crisis-hit country. Maduro declared after landing in Beijing overnight that he came with “great expectations” to further deepen strategic ties with Venezuela’s key creditor. The leftist leader said his visit would give a “big push” to energy investments, trade and the “successful financial […]
Venezuela vows to eradicate plots after Maduro ‘assassination’ bid
by Alexander Martinez Agence France-Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuelan authorities vowed Monday to “root out” plots against President Nicolas Maduro after what they said was a weekend drone “assassination” bid backed by Colombia. An accusation by Maduro that his Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos was behind the incident has worsened already fraught ties between Caracas and Bogota. Santos, who hands over power to elected successor Ivan Duque on Tuesday, has categorically rejected the accusation. […]
Venezuela promotes 16,900 ‘loyal’ military personnel
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) – The government of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro promoted 16,900 military personnel on Monday as reward for their “loyalty.” Enjoying considerable economic and political strength, the military is seen as a major force in maintaining the controversial Maduro’s grip on power in crisis-hitVenezuela. “We evaluate the loyalty that every man and every woman puts in their hands, in their thoughts, in their actions, in every task they have to perform at their […]
Venezuela supreme court rejects challenge to Maduro re-election
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuela’s highest court refused Wednesday to consider a lawsuit challenging President Nicolas Maduro’s re-election victory in May. The elections chamber of the Supreme Court announced its decision on Twitter, and did not give the reasoning behind it. The court is widely accused of being biased in favor of the president. On May 20, Maduro was re-elected for a second six-year term with 68 percent of the vote in a poll boycotted […]
Cuban leader defends Maduro on first foreign visit
by Alex Vasquez © Agence France-Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel rallied to the defense of embattled ally Nicolas Maduro on his first foreign visit Wednesday, calling on Latin American nations to support his Venezuelan counterpart’s cause. The Cuban, who succeeded Raul Castro on April 19, was received with open arms by Maduro’s government — Cuba’s closest political and economic ally — on his arrival at Caracas’ Maiquetia airport. “Very happy to be […]
Maduro isolated as US vows action over ‘sham’ Venezuela polls
by Maria Isabel Sanchez Agence France Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuela faced growing international isolation and a deepening economic crisis Monday following President Nicolas Maduro’s contested re-election as the United States tightened the screws on his regime over a “sham” vote. Washington’s stern reaction further ratcheted up the pressure on the leftist Maduro, after the Lima Group’s 14 mainly Latin American members moved to recall their ambassadors in protest at the opposition-boycotted vote. G20 […]
Maduro declared winner of Venezuela poll: official
by Maria Isabel Sanchez Agence France Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — President Nicolas Maduro was unsurprisingly declared winner of Venezuela’s election Sunday in a poll rejected as invalid by his rivals, who immediately called for fresh elections to be held later this year. Reeling under a devastating economic crisis, only 46 percent of voters turned out to cast ballots in an election boycotted by the opposition and condemned by much of the international community, but […]
