Venezuela

CARACAS, March 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuela’s elections council said that a fire over the weekend destroyed most of the voting machines stored in its main warehouse in the capital, Caracas, potentially complicating parliamentary elections scheduled for this year.

Nearly 50,000 voting machines and almost 600 computers went up in flames as a result of the fire that broke out on Saturday, said elections council chief Tibisay Lucena.

“There was little that could be rescued,” Lucena said in a statement broadcast on state television.

CARACAS, March 7. /TASS/: The United States is hatching a plan for war against Venezuela, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro said at a meeting with governors and mayors in Caracas on Friday.

"They (the US authorities - TASS) have decided to make a plan to bring war and terrorism to Venezuela, to destabilize it, to fill it with violence, to trigger an armed conflict and to excuse military intervention in our country," Maduro said at the meeting telecast on government-run TV.

Maduro said that the United States had chosen Brazil as its supporter in this scheme.

CARACAS, March 3 (NNN-TELESUR) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro held a meeting with government and opposition members of the national negotiating table at the executive’s Miraflores Palace Monday.

“We move forward with a firm and sustained step in the dialogue with the different political sectors of the country that contribute to reaching great agreements in order to strengthen democracy and peace for the Republic,” Maduro said after the meeting. 

CARACAS, March 2 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called for continuity of what he considers a social, political and economic offensive to guarantee peace and stability for the people.

‘March has arrived! A month laden with a deep Chavist sentiment that encourages us to continue the social, political and economic offensive, guaranteeing our beloved people’s peace, stability and prosperity. Always loyal to the eternal legacy of Commander Chavez!, Maduro wrote on his Twitter account.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — One of every three people in Venezuela is struggling to put enough food on the table to meet minimum nutrition requirements as the nation’s severe economic contraction and political upheaval persists, according to a study published Sunday by the U.N. World Food Program.

A nationwide survey based on data from 8,375 questionnaires reveals a startling picture of the large number of Venezuelans surviving off a diet consisting largely of tubers and beans as hyperinflation renders many salaries worthless.

CARACAS, Feb 20 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — The Executive Vice-President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, has stated they will consolidate the strategic bilateral cooperation with Russia despite US sanctions.

She assured that Venezuela and Russia will continue their relations even amidst the measures imposed by Washington to attempt to affect said relations and the income sources of Venezuela.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela said on Monday it would suspend TAP Air Portugal flights into and out of the country for 90 days, accusing the carrier of allowing opposition leader Juan Guaido’s uncle to bring explosives onto a flight to Caracas last week.

Announcing the measure on Twitter, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez left open the possibility of applying fines and other measures in the future.

“Venezuela must be respected,” Rodriguez said.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela’s military on Saturday held exercises that deployed civilian militia and armored vehicles in the capital Caracas and around the country, an effort by President Nicolas Maduro to show strength as Washington prepares to escalate sanctions.

Maduro accuses the United States of preparing an invasion of the OPEC nation, which in 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump described as a possibility. Since last year the United States has ramped up economic sanctions against his government.

MEXICO CITY/HAVANA, Feb 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Venezuela’s state energy firm PDVSA has been shipping more oil this month to close ally Cuba, as tighter U.S. sanctions have worsened fuel shortages on the Caribbean island.

Six vessels, most of them owned by PDVSA’s maritime arm, have exported an average of 173,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Venezuelan crude and fuel to Cuba so far this month, according to Refinitiv Eikon data and PDVSA’s documents.

At least two more cargoes are planned for the remainder of the month, according to the documents and data.

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan authorities detained opposition leader Juan Guaido’s uncle after the two men arrived at the main airport in Caracas, ruling Socialist Party Vice President Diosdado Cabello said on Wednesday.

Juan Jose Marquez, who was with Guaido on his return to Venezuela on Tuesday after a three-week international tour, passed “migration normally, and as he was about to leave ... he was held for an alleged Seniat review,” Guaido’s press team wrote on Twitter. Seniat is Venezuela’s national tax agency.