CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — At least 18 people were killed Sunday in a bus accident in a rural area of western Venezuela, police said. “Fourteen deaths were reported at the scene of the accident, 33 injured were transferred to the hospital in Villa del Rosario, where four of them died,” police said in a report seen by AFP. The accident occurred in a rural area of Zulia state which borders Colombia. According to a preliminary […]
Tag: Venezuela
Venezuela says closing consulates in Canada
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuela has announced it will close its consulates in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, leaving only its embassy in Ottawa to handle its affairs in Canada. The Venezuelan foreign ministry, which announced the decision Saturday, said it was in response to Canada’s temporary closing of its embassy in Caracas. Canada is one of more than 50 countries, led by the United States, that recognizes opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s acting president […]
Canada suspends operations at embassy in Venezuela
OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canada announced Sunday it was temporarily shutting its embassy in Venezuela, blaming President Nicolas Maduro for refusing to accredit diplomats critical of his regime. At the same time, Ottawa is reviewing the status of Maduro envoys to Canada. Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement that “the regime has taken steps to limit the ability of foreign embassies to function in Venezuela, particularly those advocating for the restoration of […]
Strong 8.0-magnitude earthquake hits Peru
A strong 8.0-earthquake struck northern Peru in the early hours of Sunday, sending residents fleeing their homes and cutting off power to at least one town, with the impact felt as far afield as neighboring Ecuador. There were no immediate reports of injuries following the quake which the US Geological Survey said struck at a depth of 110 kilometers (68 miles). The quake hit t 0741 GMT about 75 kilometers southeast of the town of […]
At least 29 inmates killed in clashes at Venezuela jail
by Alexander MARTINEZ and Esteban ROJAS CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — At least 29 prisoners were killed and 19 police wounded in clashes at a jail in western Venezuela Friday, authorities said. The incident at the police station jail in the town of Acarigua, in Portuguesa state, occurred when police special forces (FAES) tried to stop a “massive prison break” which resulted in the deaths of 29 inmates, according to Portuguesa public security secretary Oscar Valero. […]
Amnesty urges ICC to probe ‘crimes against humanity’ in Venezuela
MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Amnesty International said Tuesday it believes the Venezuelan authorities have committed crimes against humanity in their crackdown on anti-government protests, and urged the International Criminal Court to investigate. The rights group said President Nicolas Maduro’s government responded with “a systematic and widespread policy of repression” in late January, when anti-government protests swept the country after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself acting president. Maduro opponents were tortured and killed during […]
Guaido blasts Venezuela regime after security forces block congress
by Diego URDANETA CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Juan Guaido accused the Venezuelan government of trying to “gag” Congress after security forces prevented opposition lawmakers from entering the National Assembly on Tuesday, two weeks after the opposition leader’s failed uprising against President Nicolas Maduro. Deputies said members of the National Guard, who provide security for the building, along with police and SEBIN intelligence agents blocked access to the opposition-controlled National Assembly. The move came as Amnesty […]
Venezuelan general calls for military uprising against Maduro
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — A Venezuelan air force general has called on his country’s armed forces to rise up against President Nicolas Maduro, who remains in power with military support despite a sweeping economic crisis. “It’s time to rise up, it’s time to fight … it’s time that the armed forces became aware,” General Ramon Rangel said in a video appeal issued Sunday on social media. Rangel — who appeared in civilian clothes and whose […]
Venezuela’s Maduro warns of military escalation with Colombia
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro warned Wednesday of a possible “military escalation” with neighboring Colombia after Bogota accused Caracas of sheltering leftist guerrillas on its territory. “There is an escalation of statements that could end in a military escalation on the border,” involving “the criminal forces of Colombia against Venezuela,” Maduro said in a speech to supporters. “Everything is part of the plan of US imperialism,” he said. The televised speech followed […]
Backers ‘failed to follow through’ in abortive uprising, Guaido tells AFP
by Guillaume DECAMME / Alexander MARTINEZ Agence France-Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) – Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said Monday that backers who had pledged support for his abortive uprising last week had “failed to follow through” to dislodge President Nicolas Maduro. But that “doesn’t mean that they won’t do it soon,” Guaido told AFP in an interview in Caracas. Guaido, recognized as interim president by more than 50 countries, said it was “obvious today, there […]
Maduro exhorts Venezuela military to fight ‘any coup plotter’
by Alexander MARTINEZ CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday called on the armed forces to oppose “any coup plotter” after a military uprising in support of opposition leader Juan Guaido fizzled out, and subsequent street clashes left four protesters dead. On Tuesday, Guaido — who has been recognized by more than 50 countries as the crisis-wracked country’s interim president — urged the armed forces to rise up against the embattled leader. […]
One dead, 46 hurt in Venezuela May Day clashes
by Alexander MARTINEZ / Esteban ROJAS CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — May Day clashes between opposition supporters and Venezuela’s armed forces in Caracas left a woman dead and 46 people injured on Wednesday, with opposition leader Juan Guaido attempting to rally demonstrators against President Nicolas Maduro. Jurubith Rausseo, 27, died at a clinic after being hit by a “bullet in the head during (a) demonstration,” the non-governmental Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict said on Twitter, condemning […]
