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• UPDATE 1-S&P downgrades Venezuela's sovereign credit rating to B Monday, 17 Jun 2013 | 2:07 PM ET

  NEW YORK, June 17- Standard& Poor's on Monday downgraded the sovereign foreign currency credit rating for Venezuela to B from B-plus, citing political turmoil as an impediment to enacting meaningful reforms in order to stop a slide in economic activity.

• Hugo Chavez given Venezuela journalism prize Friday, 7 Jun 2013 | 7:22 AM ET

  CARACAS, Venezuela-- The late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been awarded the country's National Journalism Prize even though he was accused of persecuting the press during his 14 years in power.

• Venezuela's president denies currency devaluation rumor Wednesday, 5 Jun 2013 | 9:25 PM ET

  CARACAS, June 5- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro denied on Wednesday rumors that he was preparing another adjustment of the local bolivar currency, which has been devalued five times in the last decade. What's coming is the strengthening of Venezuela's currency, the strengthening of the economy, "he added in a meeting to launch a youth project.

• INTERVIEW-Venezuela's Capriles says Maduro government will fall Sunday, 2 Jun 2013 | 1:28 PM ET

  *He points to "internal war" in ruling Socialist Party. SAN FRANCISCO DE YARE, Venezuela, June 2- V enezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles says President Nicolas Maduro's government will "cave in" under the pressure of growing economic troubles, in-fighting and a belief by many Venezuelans that it stole the April election.

• UPDATE 1-Venezuela's economy slows sharply as 'stagflation' looms Friday, 31 May 2013 | 8:04 PM ET

  CARACAS, May 31- Venezuela's economy slowed sharply in the first quarter, the central bank said on Friday, auguring a difficult year for the OPEC nation that is already struggling with galloping inflation and shortages of basic consumer goods.

• Biden says U.S. and Brazil ready for deeper relationship Friday, 31 May 2013 | 2:40 PM ET

  Vice President Joe Biden wound up a visit to Brazil on Friday saying it was high time the two largest economies in the Americas became closer partners in trade, investment and energy. Biden praised Brazil for recently writing off $900 million in African debt, saying it showed the emergence of Brazil as a "responsible" nation on the world stage.

• Cuban oil hopes sputter as Russians give up for now on well Wednesday, 29 May 2013 | 5:46 PM ET

  *Cuba seeking to end dependence on Venezuelan oil. HAVANA, May 29- Russian state-owned oil company Zarubezhneft said this week it was giving up for now on a problem-plagued exploration well off Cuba's north-central coast, which brings to an end the communist-led island's only active project in its search for offshore oil fields.

• Venezuela says Taiwan CPC's compensation claim thrown out Wednesday, 29 May 2013 | 10:11 AM ET

  CARACAS, May 29- A World Bank arbitration tribunal has thrown out a compensation claim by a subsidiary of Taiwanese state oil company CPC Corp for nationalization of assets in Venezuela, state oil company PDVSA said.

• Venezuelan opposition TV station tones down, angers Capriles Wednesday, 29 May 2013 | 9:38 AM ET

  *Media at center of Venezuela's polarized politics. CARACAS, May 29- A flagship Venezuelan TV channel known for its militant opposition to late socialist leader Hugo Chavez has toned down under new owners, depriving the opposition of a favored platform as it fights a new government.

• Latin America's free trade bloc lifts tariffs, eyes Asian markets Thursday, 23 May 2013 | 9:41 PM ET

  *Latin America seeks integration, yet divided in terms of trade. *Pacific Alliance advocates free trade, foreign investment. BOGOTA, May 23- A Latin American bloc that includes Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Chile on Thursday agreed to eliminate tariffs on most goods to promote free trade between the countries and increase exports to Asia.

• REUTERS SUMMIT-Venezuela business group sees dire economy in 2013 Thursday, 23 May 2013 | 10:43 AM ET

  CARACAS, May 23- Venezuela is slipping into high inflation and economic stagnation this year due to a shortage of hard currency and a decade-long weakening of domestic industry, the head of the country's main business group Fedecamaras said.

• Venezuela's Maduro buries hatchet with billionaire businessman Wednesday, 15 May 2013 | 12:06 PM ET

  CARACAS, May 15- Socialist leader Nicolas Maduro and the billionaire boss of Venezuela's biggest private company have buried the hatchet after a war of words over food shortages and other economic problems in the South American nation.

• Venezuelan food firm tells Maduro government to boost output Monday, 13 May 2013 | 4:09 PM ET

  CARACAS, May 13- Venezuela's top food producer, Empresas Polar, on Monday challenged the country's socialist government to boost output of basic staples and ease nagging product shortages, rejecting accusations it is hoarding products to destabilize the economy.

• Venezuela to boost dollar supplies to private sector Thursday, 2 May 2013 | 9:26 PM ET

  CARACAS, May 2- Venezuela will boost dollar supplies to private businesses through its currency control mechanism, the finance minister said on Thursday, following months of complaints by business leaders that they cannot import the goods they need.

• 'Flexible socialist' to lead Venezuela central bank Tuesday, 23 Apr 2013 | 4:55 PM ET

  *Congress needs to ratify president's nomination. CARACAS, April 23- The nominee to lead Venezuela's central bank, Edmee Betancourt, is known as a dedicated socialist who backed the drive by late President Hugo Chavez to expand state control over the economy but who also knows when to ditch dogma for down-to-earth policy.

• Venezuela declares 90-day electricity "emergency" Tuesday, 23 Apr 2013 | 2:42 PM ET

  CARACAS, April 23- President Nicolas Maduro's government declared a 90- day "emergency" in Venezuela's electricity sector on Tuesday to speed up infrastructure work and equipment imports needed to prevent politically-contentious power cuts.

• UPDATE 1-Venezuela finance minister pick may signal more pragmatic economics Monday, 22 Apr 2013 | 8:50 PM ET

  CARACAS, April 22- Venezuela's designation of central bank President Nelson Merentes as finance minister signals the OPEC nation may be headed toward a more pragmatic approach to rising inflation and slowing growth.

• Venezuela finance minister pick may signal more pragmatic economics Monday, 22 Apr 2013 | 2:34 PM ET

  CARACAS, April 22- Venezuela's designation of central bank President as Nelson Merentes as finance minister signals the OPEC nation may be headed toward a more pragmatic approach to rising inflation and slowing growth.

• UPDATE 1-Central bank's Merentes named new Venezuela finance minister Sunday, 21 Apr 2013 | 9:42 PM ET

  CARACAS, April 21- President Nicolas Maduro replaced Venezuelan Finance Minister Jorge Giordani on Sunday, appointing central bank chief Nelson Merentes in his place two days after being sworn-in as the late Hugo Chavez's successor.

• Central bank's Merentes named Venezuela's new finance minister Sunday, 21 Apr 2013 | 9:30 PM ET

  CARACAS, April 21- President Nicolas Maduro replaced Venezuelan Finance Minister Jorge Giordani on Sunday, appointing central bank boss Nelson Merentes in his place two days after being sworn-in as the late Hugo Chavez's successor.