News: Opposition

Opposition Tries to Provoke Instability in Venezuela

Jun 17th 2011

Venezuela's principal opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (Photo: Archive).

Opposition legislators of the Venezuelan National Assembly recently argued that Venezuelan Vice President Elias Jaua should replace Chavez as president, after emergency medical surgery forced Chavez to extend his stay in Cuba. The opposition was especially angered on Wednesday after Chavez enacted a law from the carribbean nation.

Members of Venezuelan Opposition form “Progressive” Coalition for 2012 Presidential Elections

Jun 3rd 2011

PPT Secretary General José Albornoz speaks at the 2 June 2011 inauguration of the Progressive Front for Change, or Frente Progr

On Thursday members of the Venezuelan opposition formed a new “progressive” political coalition which includes numerous political forces that once backed President Hugo Chávez.

Venezuelan Opposition Announces Possible Candidates for Primary Elections

May 5th 2011

Henrique Capriles Radonski announces his candidacy for opposition primaries (El Universal).

The Venezuelan opposition has released a list of possible candidates to stand for the Table of Democratic Unity (MUD) against the United Socialist Party of Venezuela’s (PSUV) candidate, Hugo Chávez Frias, in the 2012 presidential elections.

Opposition Has Internal Problems and Fighting, According to U.S Caracas Embassy Cables

Apr 16th 2011

Henry Ramos Allup (archive)

Diplomatic cables written by the U.S. Embassy in Caracas between 2006 to 2009 and released by Wikileaks state that the opposition leaders here asked for financing and favours from the U.S. government. The cables also reveal some of the opposition’s internal problems, struggles over leadership, and lack of vision and strategy.

Fugitive Rosales “Regrets” Having Signed Coup Decree in 2002

Apr 12th 2011

Manuel Rosales (YVKE)

Fugitive from the Venezuelan justice system, Manuel Rosales expressed regret for having signed the coup decree which dissolved all public powers in the country on April 2002, during the brief dictatorship of businessman Pedro Carmona.

Pro- and Anti-Chavez Public Servants Disqualified for Acts of Corruption in Venezuela

Mar 22nd 2011

Hernan Aleman (Archive)

Four pro-government public servants, including two ex mayors, have been disqualified from political activity for one year due to acts of corruption during the exercise of their previous positions. A fifth, an opposition legislator, has also been disqualified.

New Venezuelan Ministry to be Run by Youth and Students

Mar 14th 2011

Speaking on national television yesterday, students call on the youth to participate in a debate organised for tomorrow (VTV).

On Friday President Hugo Chavez announced the creation of the Ministry of Youth and Students which aims to address the needs of young people, and will be run by them.

Venezuelan Calls on Inter-American Court to Stand against Corruption in Case of Leopoldo López

Mar 4th 2011

Leopoldo López speaks to the press during a recess between legal proceedings at the Inter-American Court in San Juan, Costa Ric

Yesterday, Venezuela’s Public Defender Gabriela Ramírez affirmed that the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) has an “extraordinary opportunity” to set legal precedence in cases of corruption as it relates to Leopoldo López, the Venezuelan opposition figure banned from holding public office back in 2008.

National and Regional Governments Collaborate to Combat Crime in Venezula

Mar 4th 2011

Members of Venezuela's newly founded National Bolivarian Police (Archive).

Strengthening police presence and combating violent crime at both the regional and national level were the central topics of discussions taking place last Saturday during an extraordinary session of the Venezuelan government’s Federal Council in the capital city of Caracas.

Industry and Agricultural Production Advance in Venezuela

Feb 25th 2011

Venezuela’s Minister for Science, Technology and Intermediate Industry, Ricardo Menendez, presenting his annual report to the

High-level members of the Venezuelan Executive Cabinet involved in the advancement of domestic industry, agriculture and tourism presented their annual reports to the nation’s congress and the Venezuelan people last Tuesday, spelling out the gains that the government has made in the productive sectors in 2010.

Dialogue between Venezuelan Government and Opposition Student-led Hunger Strikers Brings Protest to an End

Feb 23rd 2011

Students of the opposition’s Active Youth, Venezuela United (JAVU), ended their hunger strike on 22 February 2011 after accept

23 days into a hunger strike led by students of the Venezuelan opposition, on Monday Venezuela’s Minister for Justice and Internal Affairs Tareck El Aissami presented the protestors with a proposal they considered “sufficient” to end the strike.

Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Rejects Opposition Hunger Strike Demands for OAS Intervention

Feb 18th 2011

Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro (right) and Interior Minister Tarek El Aissami hold a press conference following their meeting w

Wednesday Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Nicolás Maduro criticized opposition student demands that international organizations intervene in Venezuela’s “internal affairs” and repeated his calls for dialogue between Venezuela’s government and opposition.

Arrests Made in Arson of Venezuelan Government Building, Opposition Involvement

Jan 21st 2011

The January 8 arson at INTI's Santa Barbara de Zulia offices destroyed 70% of the land agency's administrative infrast

The Venezuelan police have apprehended nine people in connection with the torching of a government ofﬁce in the western state of Zulia earlier this month and have issued arrest warrants for four others believed to be behind the criminal act that left in ashes the regional headquarters of the National Land Institute (INTI).

Venezuelan Opposition Requests Intervention from Organization of American States

Jan 14th 2011

OAS Secretary General José Insulza (Manuel Balce/AP)

A delegation of the Venezuelan opposition alliance Democratic Table of Unity (MUD) met with the Organisation of American States (OAS) General Secretary José Insulza yesterday to discuss what it has called a lack of democracy in Venezuela and to request OAS intervention.

Venezuela’s Chavez Decrees Fund for Construction of 4,000 New Homes

Dec 30th 2010

Venezuelan President Chavez allocated several billion dollars in relief aid for housing construction to help thousands displaced

While the financial crisis has forced millions from their homes in the United States with no help from government agencies, Venezuelan President Chavez decreed a new fund this week to provide several billion dollars in relief aid for housing construction to help thousands displaced from the severe rains that hit the nation in late November.