In this week’s roundup…President Barack Obama offers his thoughts on the Venezuelan election, urging the country’s authorities to conduct “free and fair elections where the people’s will is respected;” Hugo Chávez, shuttling back and forth from Cuba for treatment, tells Venezuelans that he believes a “miracle” will save him from his cancer. Meanwhile, Chávez stands with his ally President Bashar al-Assad as the Syrian conflict continues; the kidnapping of a Costa Rican diplomat draws attention to skyrocketing crime; Venezuela appears on the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights “blacklist” for the 10th time; and experts say Chávez’s latest increase in the minimum wage will likely not blunt the pain caused by inflation.
US President Barack Obama takes a stance on Venezuelan election, El Universal
US President Barack Obama would like to witness in Venezuela “free and fair elections where the people’s will is respected.” His comments were made during an exclusive interview with Grupo Diarios de América (GDA), a cluster of 11 leading newspapers in the Western Hemisphere.
Venezuela’s Chavez Heads Home After Latest Cuba Cancer Treatment, The Wall Street Journal
Venezuela President Hugo Chávez arrived home late Wednesday following his latest round of cancer treatment in Cuba. Chávez, 57, was shown arriving at an airport in Caracas on state television.
Hugo Chavez heads back to Cuba for more cancer treatment, calling it battle for life, Associated Press
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez flew back to Cuba late Saturday for another round of radiation therapy, telling his countrymen that he has faith a “miracle” will help him survive cancer.
Chávez Seeks to Attend Americas Summit, Wall Street Journal
Cancer-stricken Venezuela President Hugo Chávez intends to make a brief appearance at this weekend’s 33-nation Summit of the Americas, which will also include U.S. President Barack Obama, an official from the meeting’s host country, Colombia, said Tuesday.
Amidst the Carnage, Syria Finds a Loyal Ally in Hugo Chávez, Huffington Post
At a time when most nations are trying to figure out how to stop Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad from killing his own people in a year-long struggle to stay in power, the Venezuelan government is helping to prop him up. The facts and figures coming out of Syria are grisly, with more than 9,000 dead since last spring.
Chávez orders mandatory simultaneous broadcast to talk about 2002 coup, El Universal
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez commemorated the 10th anniversary of the events of April 2002 that briefly ousted him from power. Chávez talked with a “group of friends” in a mandatory radio and TV simultaneous broadcast.
Kidnapped Costa Rican diplomat freed in Venezuela, Reuters
A Costa Rican diplomat kidnapped last weekend and held for ransom in the latest attack on foreign envoys in Venezuela was released on Tuesday and is in good health despite having suffered a blow to the head, authorities said.
Crime in Venezuela, The Economist
Foreign diplomats in Caracas have been briefing their capitals for years about the rise of violent crime in Venezuela. Now they are targets as well as observers. On April 8th Guillermo Cholele, a Costa Rican attaché, was kidnapped for ransom.
IACHR keeps Venezuela in human rights “blacklist” for the 10th time, El Universal
Venezuela was “blacklisted” again by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in its Chapter IV of the 2011 Annual Report to the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs of the Organization of American States (OAS).
Chavez hikes Venezuela’s minimum wage before vote, Reuters
President Hugo Chavez hiked Venezuela’s minimum wage by almost a third on Saturday as the ailing socialist leader aimed to solidify his political base among the poor and win re-election in October.
Inflation erodes much of minimum wage increase, El Universal
Venezuelan workers who earn minimum wage will be paid 15% more from May 1 and they will have a second 15% hike in September.