Venezuela
Venezuela delays removing currency bills amid protests
Caracas // With protests rocking his unpopular government, embattled president Nicolas Maduro has delayed until January 2 taking Venezuela’s highest denomination bill out of circulation. Mr Maduro said the 100-bolivar bills would temporarily remain legal tender, but the borders with Colombia and Brazil would remain closed...
Venezuela recall: Maduro goes to court to block referendum
Venezuela's government has asked the Supreme Court to reject the opposition's proposal to hold a referendum to remove President Nicolas Maduro from office. It accused the leaders of the recall referendum movement of fraud. On Friday the National Electoral Council (CNE) declared more than 600,000 signatures on a petition...
Venezuela: Nicolas Maduro says no referendum this year
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has said that a referendum the opposition is trying to call to oust him will not take place this year. There was no time to organise the recall referendum, said Mr Maduro. On Friday the National Electoral Council (CNE) declared more than 600,000 signatures on a petition for the...
Lufthansa to suspend flights to Venezuela
The German airline, Lufthansa, has announced that it will suspend flights to Venezuela from 18 June due to economic difficulties in the country. The company also said currency controls in Venezuela made it impossible for airlines to convert their earnings into dollars and send the money abroad. Venezuela's economy has been...
Venezuela crisis: Maduro threatens seizure of closed factories
The Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro, has threatened the seizure of factories that have stopped production and the jailing of their owners. In a speech to supporters in the capital Caracas, he said the country had to recover the means of production, to counter its deep economic crisis. On Friday, he introduced a new,...
Venezuela introduces two-day week to deal with energy crisis
Venezuela's government has imposed a two-day working week for public sector workers as a temporary measure to help it overcome a serious energy crisis. Vice-President Aristobulo Isturiz announced that civil servants should turn up for work only on Mondays and Tuesdays until the crisis was over. Venezuela is facing a major...
Venezuela opposition asks neighbours to mediate crisis
Legislative body controlled by opponents of president Maduro calls on Organization of American States to end standoff. Venezuela's opposition-controlled legislature has said it will ask for foreign intervention to resolve a standoff with President Nicolas Maduro and the country's judiciary. The oil-rich South American...