OAS Secretary General: Election environment is less strained

The Venezuelan electoral environment is less tense than in earlier elections, said Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General José Miguel Insulza.

Venezuelan National Electoral Council at Canning House

At a meeting organized by the Venezuelan Embassy in the United Kingdom and chaired by Canning House's Peter Garret OBE, National Electoral Council (CNE) President, Tibisay Lucena gave a talk on Venezuela's electoral organization.

Wider international electoral observation in presidential election

Next December 3rd presidential vote will be witnessed by 'truly extensive' international electoral observation missions, compared to earlier elections, said the President of the National Electoral Council (CNE) Tibisay Lucena.

Cilia Flores: 44% of the national budget will go to social investment

President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Cilia Flores, said the national budget is $54 billions and that 44% of that budget will be used in social expenditure and development of endogenous economy.

Venezuela's oil wealth funds gusher of anti-poverty projects

Venezuelan goverment is investing billions of dollars on anti-poverty programs, in what experts say may amount to the largest such effort in a developing nation.

Venezuela inaugurates Agricultural Bank

President Hugo Chávez officially inaugurated the Venezuelan Agricultural Bank. The bank was formed with an initial capital of $326 Million, and is expected to benefit 20,000 small agricultural producers.

Venezuela inaugurates first new railroad in 70 years

Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez inaugurated the country's first new railroad in 70 years. The first new stretch is to run from Caracas to the town of Cúa, about 41 km to the south.

Second bridge over the Orinoco River is concluded

The inauguration of the 3,156 meters of the rail and road mix bridge over the Orinoco River will take place on November 21st.

Federation of Industries announces growth

Miguel Pérez Abad, President of FEDEINDUSTRIAS estimates the industrial sector will grow between 13 and 14% in 2006, which he considers to be very positive.

Agricultural Federation: Venezuela has tripled land under cultivation

According to the president of the National Confederation of Ranchers and Farmers Venezuela has tripled the amount of land that is under agricultural cultivation in the past eight years.

The Zero Fiscal Evasion Plan that the Venezuelan National Integrated Customs and Tax Administration Service (Seniat) has been implementing since 2003 has borne fruit, as Venezuela jumped from the fifteenth to the third position among the countries with the best tax collection in the region.

Venezuela and China create $6 billion fund to build public works

Venezuela and China will create a $6 billion joint fund to finance infrastructure development, building on agreements made during President Hugo Chávez's trip to Beijing last August.

Possible Canadian investments surpass $1.550 million

Possible investments around 1.500 million dollars and potential businesses around 50 million dollars are the successful balance of the first Bi-national Macro Business Round between Venezuela and Canada.

Venezuela and China started drilling of the Junin 4 Block

Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), started drilling works of the first evaluation well of the Junin 4 Block in the Orinoco Oil Belt.

Petróleos Venezuela plans to build a $6 billion refinery

PDVSA, South America's largest oil company, plans to build a $6 billion refinery to upgrade heavy crude as it plans to expand production from the country's heavy oil belt.

Venezuela condemns North Korea's nuclear weapons test

The Venezuelan government joined the international chorus of condemnation following North Korea's nuclear weapons test.

U.S. officials praise Venezuela heating oil program

U.S. Energy Secretary Sam Bodman said that he had no objections to Venezuela's discounted heating oil program and wished more companies would follow suit.

Venezuela: why is it treated so badly by the british press?

Lecture by Ambassador Alfredo Toro Hardy at the Faculty of Media Studies of the University of Sterling on 3rd November 2006.