Venezuela

CARACAS, Dec 29 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) – The crime rate in Venezuela fell 36.3 percent this year, in eight main criminal categories, Interior Minister, Nestor Reverol, said Saturday.

“The reduction in crimes that occurred this year, compared to 2018, reached 34.4 percent in the case of theft; 35.4 percent in robbery; 51.9 percent and 50.8 percent in vehicular theft and robbery, respectively.”

Reverol said, homicides decreased for the fourth year, with the rate falling to 20 homicides for every 100,000 inhabitants, a reduction of 36.3 percent.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Tour operator Alejandro Palacios joined hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans protesting in the streets early this year, wanting to believe that things would finally change in the country as upstart opposition leader Juan Guaidó rallied international support and promised a swift end to President Nicolás Maduro’s rule.

To Palacios, Guaidó seemed different from the string of past opposition leaders who had challenged Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, over 20 years of increasingly authoritarian socialist rule.

CARACAS, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — Venezuela denounced a handful of countries for using the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for “political” ends.

Writing on Twitter, Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza said that the country “rejects the political use of the mechanisms of the UNHRC,” given the creation of a fact-finding mission by the UNHRC to investigate alleged human rights abuses in the South American country.

CARACAS, November 18. /TASS/: All the Venezuelan diplomats who were working in Bolivia have returned back, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro told reporters on Sunday.

"Today, after persecution and threats in Bolivia the diplomatic personnel returned to Venezuela," Maduro said in a speech broadcast by the national TV. The leader also stressed that "nazi-fascist forces" took power in Bolivia.

CARACAS, Nov 6 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stressed on Tuesday that Venezuela is moving forward despite the tightening of the US economic blockade.

‘The year 2019 has been a complex one, hard, full of conspiracies, plots, international aggressions and many lessons learned. We prove that Venezuela can triumph and move forward victorious throughout the 21st century, with the flag of the Revolution flying high,’ the president tweeted.

CARACAS, October 6. /TASS/: Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Saturday at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas.

The meeting at the Venezuelan president’s office lasted less than an hour.

Prior to the meeting, Maduro said the Russian deputy premier’s visit to Caracas was very important in the wake of his recent talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

CARACAS, Oct 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov met Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday to underline Moscow’s support for the leftist leader that has helped him stay in power despite intense Western pressure to quit.

Moscow has acted as a lender of last resort for Venezuela, with the government and oil giant Rosneft providing at least $17 billion in loans and credit lines since 2006.

CARACAS, Oct 6 (NNN-Prensa Latina) — The head of the National Anti-Drug Office (ONA) Alberto Matheus reported that Venezuela has signed 42 cooperation agreements on drug matters with 37 countries.

Among the agreements, the ones signed with the United Nations Organization and the Cooperation Program between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union in drug policies stand out, said the official during the training on these issues to the operational units of the Coast Guard Command in the Naval Base CA. Agustín Armario, in Carabobo state.

CARACAS, September 28. /TASS/: Two planes with Russian military specialists arrived in Venezuela to render technical support to the country, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Friday.

"Several days ago, two planes landed with personnel, rendering military and technical support. They are in Venezuela. Those who arrived in the beginning of the year, flew away, a new team arrived," Maduro said in a broadcast released via Twitter.

CARACAS, September 22. /TASS/: More than 13 million Venezuelans have signed the petition to protect national sovereignty against US economic sanctions, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on Saturday.

"I extend my congratulations to the great anti-imperialistic march of our people that filled the streets of Caracas with a beautiful act of love and patriotism to deliver 13,287,742 signatures for peace and national sovereignty," the Venezuelan leader said via Twitter.

It is noted that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will receive all the signatures.