CARACAS – Venezuela debated a landmark bill yesterday to grant amnesty to political prisoners, marking an early milestone in the transition from the rule of toppled leader Nicolas Maduro. …
CARACAS – Venezuela said on Tuesday it would start using revenues from a US-brokered oil sale to shore up its battered currency, as families waited in anguish for more prisoners to be released. …
… Ngurare called for the immediate return of the president, together with the country’s first lady, Cilia Flores, who were both kidnapped on 3 January 2026 during a military operation in Caracas, Venezuela. …
… ore, in the days after the US military intervention in Venezuela and the forced removal of Nicolas Maduro from power, the Cuban Government was obliged to admit something it had long denied: the very existence of Cuban intelligence officers inside the corridors of power in Caracas …
… Trump told the industry leaders that his administration not Caracas would decide which firms are allowed to operate in Venezuela following the stunning capture of president Nicolas Maduro. …
… Just as the 2003 invasion of Iraq was built on the fabricated lie of “Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs)”, the attack on Caracas has been justified by a similarly hollow pretext, i.e., “drug trafficking”. …
New Era editorial argues the six-decade US economic embargo on Cuba is a "man-made humanitarian crisis" that has failed its political objectives while causing severe suffering to ordinary Cubans through trade bans, financial restrictions, and energy shortages. The piece calls for the United States to lift the embargo and allow Cuba to rejoin the global economy, noting Namibia's historical solidarity with Cuba and international opposition to the blockade.
New Era editorial argues the six-decade US economic embargo on Cuba is a "man-made humanitarian crisis" that has failed its political objectives while causing severe suffering to ordinary Cubans through trade bans, financial restrictions, and energy shortages. The piece calls for the United States to lift the embargo and allow Cuba to rejoin the global economy, noting Namibia's historical solidarity with Cuba and international opposition to the blockade.
Delcy Rodríguez, the new Venezuelan leader, faces pressure from US President Trump while maintaining support from her socialist base. She has agreed to oil deals with the US while continuing anti-imperialist rhetoric to keep her Chavista coalition intact, though analysts say she retains some leverage over Trump through his need to present Maduro's removal as successful.
Venezuela debated a landmark amnesty bill aimed at releasing political prisoners detained under Nicolas Maduro and Hugo Chavez, with interim president Delcy Rodriguez having already released over 400 prisoners and ordered closure of the notorious Helicoide prison. The attorney general said the amnesty should apply to both opposition and government figures and called for dialogue and peace.
The Kremlin accused the United States of using "suffocating measures" against Cuba as the island faces a worsening energy crisis following a US-ordered halt in oil shipments from Venezuela and new US tariffs threatening supplies from Mexico. Cuba has announced emergency measures including a four-day workweek and fuel restrictions as power plants struggle to maintain electricity.
The National Youth Council met with Venezuela's ambassador to solidify bilateral relations, with focus on youth development programmes, education, skills training, and cultural exchange. Venezuela announced nine scholarships in petroleum and 50 additional scholarships in agriculture, science, engineering, and medicine for Namibian youth.
Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez said the country would use US$300 million from a US-brokered oil sale to prop up the bolivar against the dollar, which has become Venezuela's de facto currency. The move aims to stabilize the foreign exchange market after a six-year US embargo on Venezuelan oil created a shortage of dollars.
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare signed a book of condolences at the Venezuelan Embassy following the deaths of hundreds of Venezuelans during the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores on 3 January 2026, calling the abduction a violation of international law and demanding their immediate return. Ngurare expressed solidarity with Venezuela and said Namibia reaffirms its friendship with the country, noting that Maduro and his wife are currently in US custody in New York awaiting trial.
Cuba held a state funeral for 32 troops killed in Venezuela during a US military intervention that ousted President Nicolás Maduro, marking the country's largest military loss to US forces since the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion. The deaths have forced Cuba to acknowledge its deep intelligence presence in Venezuela and confront the prospect of losing a key ally, as Venezuela's new interim leadership appears to be establishing ties with the Trump administration.
US President Donald Trump met with major oil executives at the White House to encourage investment in Venezuela's oil reserves, saying his administration would decide which companies operate there. One CEO called Venezuela "uninvestable" without reforms, though analysts said Trump's push faces economic and strategic obstacles.
A social justice scholar argues that the US bombing and kidnapping of Venezuelan President Maduro breaches the UN Charter and sets a dangerous precedent for sovereign nations, particularly in the global South. He contends the military action was justified by false pretexts about drug trafficking when the real motive is access to Venezuela's oil reserves, and warns that Namibia faces similar risks given its recent oil discoveries.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said he is not worried about speculation of a US invasion, adding that differences with any country should be resolved through discussion and negotiation. South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation separately condemned recent US military action in Venezuela as a violation of the UN Charter.
Oil prices dipped after the United States ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, raising prospects that billions of barrels could enter the global market in coming years. Analysts expect the oversupplied oil market will absorb the supply uncertainty with limited impact on prices, though shares in defence companies and gold miners rallied on new geopolitical risks.
Deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro faced his first US court appearance days after being seized in a shock US military operation in Caracas. Trump said the US "needs total access" to Venezuela's oil, while interim leader Delcy Rodriguez offered to cooperate with Washington, though some opposition figures said the move fell short without political prisoner releases and recognition of the 2024 election results.