Venezuela

Oct 18 (Reuters) - Alex Saab, a businessman accused of laundering money on behalf of Venezuela's government, will be arraigned in Florida federal court on Monday, in a case that pits the United States against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

U.S. prosecutors in 2019 charged Saab in connection with a bribery scheme linked to Venezuela's state-controlled exchange rate. The United States also sanctioned him for allegedly orchestrating a scheme that enabled him and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to profit from a state-run food distribution program.

CARACAS, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Venezuela on Friday will launch its second monetary overhaul in three years by cutting six zeros from the bolivar currency in response to hyperinflation, simplifying accounting but doing little to ease the South American nation's economic crisis.

The plan seeks to simplify accounting at businesses and banks, where systems can no longer handle the huge figures. Venezuela's year-on-year inflation is 1,743%, according to the Venezuelan Finance Observatory. A minimum wage salary is barely $2.50 per month.

CARACAS, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Venezuela’s National Academy of Medicine on Monday expressed concern over the use of Cuba’s Abdala coronavirus vaccine due to a lack of scientific research on its safety and efficacy.

Cuba said on Saturday it had exported the three-shot vaccine for the first time, sending an initial shipment to Vietnam as part of a contract to supply five million doses to the Southeast Asian country.

CARACAS/HOUSTON/WASHINGTON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Venezuela has agreed to a key contract to swap its heavy oil for Iranian condensate that it can use to improve the quality of its tar-like crude, with the first cargoes due this week, five people close to the deal said.

As the South American country seeks to boost its flagging oil exports in the face of U.S. sanctions, according to the sources, the deal between state-run firms Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) deepens the cooperation between two of Washington's foes.

CARACAS, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ongoing talks between the Venezuelan government and the opposition group are an expression of the country's sovereignty and independence, Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) said as negotiations resumed Friday in Mexico.

"Dialogue, political understanding, peace, diversity and pluralism define these negotiations," the CNE said in a statement, noting that they are "essential values" of Venezuela's national life.

CARACAS, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Ongoing talks between the Venezuelan government and the opposition group are an expression of the country's sovereignty and independence, Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) said as negotiations resumed Friday in Mexico.

"Dialogue, political understanding, peace, diversity and pluralism define these negotiations," the CNE said in a statement, noting that they are "essential values" of Venezuela's national life.

CARACAS, Aug 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 20 people have died in the western Venezuelan state of Merida following intense rains that caused mudslides and rivers to overflow.

On state TV on Wednesday a ruling Socialist Party official in Merida announced the death doll had risen and said authorities were working to restore telephone service in some areas.

State governor Ramon Guevara said earlier that more than 1,200 houses had been destroyed and 17 people remained missing as rescue workers search the wreckage.

CARACAS, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced several changes in his cabinet on Thursday, including the appointment of Mervin Maldonado as the new vice president for social and territorial socialism.

The announcement follows the selection of several cabinet ministers as candidates of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela for regional and municipal elections scheduled for Nov. 21, Maduro tweeted.

CARACAS, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Venezuela's ruling Socialist Party on Sunday holds a primary to choose candidates for November elections for governors and mayors, an election that may see the return of opposition political parties that have boycotted recent ballots.

Allies of President Nicolas Maduro will vie for the chance to be elected to 23 state and 335 governments municipal governments that have a been a key element of the Socialist Party's dominance of the country's politics.

CARACAS, July 25 (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that he was aiming to begin a dialogue with the country's political opposition next month in Mexico facilitated by Norway, a process he hoped the United States would embrace.

In May the opposition changed strategy and indicated its willingness to return to negotiations to resolve the political crisis in OPEC member Venezuela.