Chevron manager jailed in Venezuela amid crackdown on government critics

MIAMI — A former fighter pilot jailed in Venezuela in February for his ties to a prominent human rights attorney is an employee of U.S. oil firm Chevron, The Associated Press has learned, an arrest that combined with other recent repressive acts by Nicolás Maduro’s government is straining efforts by the Biden administration to pave … Read more

ICC rules that a probe into alleged crimes against humanity in Venezuela may proceed

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Appeals judges at the International Criminal Court ruled Friday that an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed by Venezuelan security forces under President Nicolás Maduro’s rule during a crackdown on anti-government protests in 2017 may proceed. Appeals panel Presiding Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut said that the court “rejects the … Read more

Open-pit gold mine collapses in Venezuela, and dozens of people are feared dead

LA PARAGUA, Venezuela — The collapse of an illegally operated open-pit gold mine in central Venezuela killed at least 14 people and injured several more, state authorities said Wednesday, as some other officials reported an undetermined number of people could be trapped. Bolivar state Gov. Angel Marcano told local reporters that 14 bodies had been … Read more

Mexico saw a huge increase in migrants from Africa and Venezuela in 2023, authorities say

MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities say they saw a huge increase in the number of migrants from Africa and Venezuela entering the country in 2023. Those migrants generally enter Mexico from Central America, and cross the country in a bid to reach the U.S. border. Mexico’s Interior Department said year-end figures showed that nine times … Read more

Venezuela orders UN office on human rights to close and its staff to leave in 3 days

Venezuela’s government on Thursday ordered the local U.N. office on human rights to suspend its operations and gave its staff 72 hours to leave the country, accusing it of promoting opposition to the South American country CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s government on Thursday ordered the local U.N. office on human rights to suspend operations and … Read more

ExxonMobil to explore for oil and gas in offshore area under dispute by Guyana and Venezuela

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — ExxonMobil said it plans to explore for oil and gas in a disputed area off South America’s coast where the Venezuelan military had previously expelled two U.S. oil companies. The move could escalate tensions between Venezuela and neighboring Guyana, which awarded the exploration license. Guyana considers the area part of its Essequibo … Read more

How Guyana’s big oil boom turned it into the world’s fastest-growing economy

Guyana, a tiny South American nation home to more than 800,000 people, made big headlines in December. The reason? Its neighboring country, Venezuela. Venezuela’s autocratic leader Nicolás Maduro called for a referendum in the first week of December 2023 to seek approval to annex Essequibo, which makes up two-thirds of Guyana’s land. Venezuelans approved it … Read more

Why there is a new global race to the moon

Japan recently became the fifth nation to successfully complete a soft landing on the moon’s surface, joining a select few countries — the U.S., Russia, China and India — in accomplishing this feat. But moon landings are likely to become more common over the next few years. Globally, more than 100 lunar missions, both by … Read more

Mexico and Venezuela restart repatriation flights amid pressure to curb soaring migration to U.S.

MEXICO CITY — Mexico and Venezuela announced Saturday that they have restarted repatriation flights of Venezuelans migrants in Mexico, the latest move by countries in the region to take on a flood of people traveling north to the United States. The move comes as authorities say at least 10,000 migrants a day have been arriving … Read more

Venezuela says troops will stay deployed until British military vessel leaves waters off Guyana

MEXICO CITY — Venezuela said Saturday it will continue to deploy nearly 6,000 troops until a British military vessel sent to neighboring Guyana leaves the waters off the coast of the two South American nations. In a video posted to X, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino appeared surrounded by military officers in front of a … Read more