Simone Baribeau
Jornalist

Saturday 22 morning, opposition and government protesters held two separate actions condemning the rampant violence in Venezuela.

A North American coming to Caracas is liable to think there’s a coffee shortage in the best of times. To those who are accustomed to a 12 oz. “tall” cup of joe being the smallest available size, the immensely popular Venezuelan cafecito, smaller than your average shot of tequila, seems an anomaly. But these coffees, which cost Bs 300—about 15 cents—are, for many Venezuelans of all income levels, a daily treat.

In a move to diversify the country’s oil customers, Chávez and Paraguayan President Nicanor Duarte signed an agreement to enable Paraguay to defer 25 percent of its oil bill to Venezuela in exchange for buying 18,600 barrels per day of Venezuelan oil, over 70 percent of their oil consumption. Payment can be deferred for up to 15 years, at two percent interest per year. Venezuela has similar arrangements with 14 Caribbean countries.

According to the opposition media, it was going to be the election that marked the death of democracy in Venezuela. The government, on the other hand, predicted a contragolpe, a show of support by the people, through the ballot box, against aspiring coup mongers. Everyone agreed that it would be an election that would have long-standing consequences.

In a $230 million agreement designed, in part, to help promote regional integration, Venezuela and Colombia have agreed to build a gas pipeline between the two countries. Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez and Colombia’s Álvaro Uribe made the announcement yesterday, while they met at the oil refinery complex of Paraguaná, on Venezuela’s northeastern coast.

The rift between Mexico and Venezuela over comments exchanged over trade deepened today as both countries called for the immediate return of their respective ambassadors. The moves came after Mexico issued an ultimatum for Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Frías to apologize for his recent comments or else face the removal of its ambassador from Venezuela. Caracas responded by calling for the immediate withdrawal of its ambassador to Mexico, and Mexico quickly followed suit.
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