Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday blasted accusations that his government supplied Colombian guerrillas with shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons and accused the neighboring country of blackmail. The remarks follow a freezing of diplomatic relations between the countries over the weapons issue and over negotiations that could lead to American military bases in Colombia. Colombia announced last week that three anti-tank weapons seized from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia,...

President Hugo Chavez said Venezuela would purchase dozens of Russian tanks, in a move signaling growing military ties between the two countries that have frequently clashed with Washington. "It will be a major arms agreement to increase our defense capability," the Venezuelan leader told reporters, noting that he hoped to ink other agreements on agriculture, oil and mining during his visit to Moscow in mid-September. Between 2005 and 2007, Moscow and Caracas signed 12 arms deals...

Government supporters protested Monday outside the studios of Globovision, the only television station stridently against Hugo Chávez remaining on the open airwaves. The protesters, riding motorcycles and waving the flags of the radical pro-Chávez party, tossed tear gas canisters at the station. The channel said some assailants fired shots at the studios in Caracas, and it broadcast video showing clouds of tear gas outside the building as employees ran for cover. Globovision's...

The Venezuelan Government is definitely ready to take control for all the media in the country. In a new attack to news network Globovision, several members of the channel were injured when at least 35 motorbike riding men entered the company headquarters, throwing ter gas bombs. At about 1 pm local time, civil groups identified with symbols of Hugo Chávez’s party hurt one of the safety guards in a hand, threw two tear gas grenades. The attack takes place two days after the...

Thirteen channels ordered to be closed by the Venezuelan government went off the air on Saturday and more than 200 are expected to close in coming weeks. The government broadcasting watchdog, Conatel, said that 34 radio outlets would be closed because they failed to comply with regulations. However, critics claimed the crackdown infringed on freedom of speech and hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Caracas against the closures. "They're closing the space for dissidents in...

The Venezuelan government has adopted and proposed measures that reduce the ability of government critics to voice their opinions and will seriously limit freedom of expression in Venezuela, Human Rights Watch said today. On July 30, 2009, Venezuela's attorney general introduced draft legislation on "media crimes" that establish prison sentences of up to four years for anyone who, through media outlets, provides "false" information that "harm[s] the interests of the...

Spanish security forces are on high alert for the 50th anniversary of the founding of ETA, the armed separatist group blamed for more than 800 deaths since it began its campaign for the creation of an independent Basque state. The group is also suspected to be behind two bomb attacks over the last two days, which killed a two police officers and injured scores of people. Jose Luis Rodriguez, Spain's prime minister, said security forces would beef up their efforts to help prevent further...

Spanish authorities have closed ports and airports on Mallorca after two police officers were killed in a bomb attack on the island. The armed Basque separatist group Eta is suspected to be responsible for the explosion early this afternoon, which reportedly hit a police car on patrol in a street about 400 metres from the town's tourist-packed beaches. Spanish media reported that an unknown number of people were injured in the blast near the Civil Guard's Palmanova barracks, which is close...

Early Wednesday morning a powerful car bomb exploded in front of a police barracks in Burgos, Spain. The attack was blamed on the Basque separatist group ETA. There were around 120 people in the barracks and surrounding buildings, a third of whom were children. The Basque Terrorist Group ETA did not call in a warning and therefore the building could not be evacuated. The barracks houses police officers and their families. 46 people have been slightly injured.38 of the injured were treated in...

Bolivian officials treat information about the uranium deposits in San Ignacio and other locations in Bolivia as a state secret. Chief ministers reacted indignantly to recent claims by Israel that Iran was receiving uranium from Bolivia and Venezuela. "Bolivia is a peaceful nation that would never aid an effort by Iran or any other country to develop nuclear weapons," said Presidency Minister Juan Ramon Quintana. He called Israel's intelligence service "an agency of inept,...