CARACAS (Reuters) - President Hugo Chavez is confident that God and nature will pull Venezuela out of a power crisis battering both the economy and his popularity. Rationing and blackouts have afflicted the South American oil exporter since late 2009, due mainly to a drought that has cut water levels at hydroelectric installations normally supplying more than two-thirds of power needs ...

Venezuela's government seized control of two sugar mills Tuesday and threatened to expropriate them, accusing managers of hoarding a basic good and violating the labor rights of employees. Commerce Minister Richard Canan said authorities were taking over management of the Santa Elena and Santa Clara mills ...

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia and Venezuela are making progress in negotiations to end a diplomatic dispute that has battered trade and unnerved the Andean region, said the Dominican Republic's president, who is brokering talks. President Leonel Fernandez met with Colombia's foreign minister and trade representatives and said he would soon meet Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to try to negotiate ...