Caracas news stories on Newser

Chavez Cronies Hit Vatican HQ With Tear Gas

Rob Quinn — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:56:29 CST

Supporters of Hugo Chavez have claimed responsibility for a tear gas attack on the Vatican's headquarters in Caracas, reports CNN. Three canisters landed deep inside the building, which has been sheltering an anti-Chavez student leader wanted by police since June. Several people were overcome by fumes. Gas attacks elsewhere in...

Chávez Welcomes Russian Navy

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:45:01 CST

Russian warships arrived in Venezuela today, a show of strength aimed at the US as Moscow seeks to expand its influence in Latin America. Venezuelan sailors fired off cannons in a 21-gun salute as the destroyer Admiral Chabanenko docked in La Guaira, near Caracas. Russian sailors dressed in black-and-white uniforms...

Opposition Scores Key Gains in Venezuela Election

Matt Cantor — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:55:13 CST

President Hugo Chávez’s supporters held onto a strong majority in yesterday’s local elections in Venezuela, but the opposition party won a number of key victories, the AP reports. Chávez backers won 17 of 22 gubernatorial seats, while the opposition took the mayor’s office in Caracas and won in three of...

Chavez Boots US Envoy: 'Go to Hell, Yankees!'

Peter Fearon — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 04:11:10 CDT

In a dramatic move in support of Bolivia, Venezuela President Hugo Chavez yesterday slashed diplomatic ties with the US, booting the American ambassador and calling home his envoy from Washington, reports Reuters. The socialist leader has also threatened to stop all oil shipments to the US—Venezuela’s largest customer—and...

Former London Mayor Will Advise Chávez

Jason Farago — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:08:00 CDT

Ken Livingstone, London's mayor from 2000 until his election defeat this May, has found a new job: consultant to Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chávez. "Red Ken," who has long been a supporter of the socialist president, will advise pro-government mayors on urban planning, reports the BBC. Last year Livingstone cut an...

Portugal PM Gets Heat for Smoking on Plane

Peter Fearon — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:41:34 CDT

Portugal banned smoking in public places five months ago but the country's prime minister appears to have forgotten the rule his own government enacted. Jose Socrates—known to be a smoker in private—stunned passengers and triggered an uproar when he blithely lit up in the first-class cabin of a...

Ecuador Wants Apology on FARC; US Backs Bogota

Peter Fearon — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:07:00 CST

Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, is in Brazil today, pushing for an apology from Colombia for its incursion into Ecuador to attack FARC guerrillas Saturday. While most Latin American nations, including Brazil, have condemned the cross-border attack, the White House yesterday unequivocally backed Colombia in the rapidly escalating crisis. Correa heads...

Chavez Foes Stage Mass Rally

Caroline Zimmerman — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:24:24 CST

Tens of thousands took to the streets in Caracas today to protest Hugo Chavez's proposal to bolster his power and institute socialist changes. Venezuelans will vote Sunday on 69 constitutional reforms, including the eradication of presidential term limits. "We can't be a communist Venezuela," one opposition leader told the AP....

Bush Hooked On FON-iks at UN

Peter Fearon — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 05:17:20 CDT

A draft of President Bush's speech to the United Nations included phonetic spellings to help him pronounce difficult names like sar-KOzee, according to a copy of the speech accidentally posted for a time on the UN website. It was up long enough for reporters to see it, much to the...