Nicolas Maduro

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has called right-wing Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro “a Hitler of the modern era.” Brazil openly backs the Venezuelan opposition and denounced Maduro’s inauguration last week as illegitimate.

Paraguayan president Mario Abdo Benítez will close his country’s embassy in Caracas and withdraw diplomats, following Maduro’s inauguration for another term in power. Other South American countries joined in condemning Maduro.

Nine members of the Venezuelan armed forces have been imprisoned for taking part in a plot to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro five years ago, after courts rejected their final appeal.

Caracas and Moscow have signed $5 billion US dollars’ worth of contracts related to oil production during President Nicolas Maduro’s visit to Russia, Maduro tweeted a day after meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro insists that national gold exports should continue despite sweeping US sanctions targeting the industry. It comes after the UK refused to release around $550 million in gold owned by Caracas.

The Venezuelan leader has lashed out at US Vice-President Mike Pence, labeling him “extremist,” and dismissed “laughable” allegations that Caracas is funding the migrant caravan heading to the US from Honduras.