Hugo Chavez

Populism becomes more effective in Turkey and the world like "bad money firing good money." 

What I mean by "bad money" is the exaggerated demagogy, polarization, the passion for power, anger and partisanship, which we see in all populist currents. 

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory on July 31 in an internationally criticized election for an assembly to rewrite the constitution, but the opposition cried fraud and vowed to keep protesting despite a deadly crackdown.

Energized by a massive vote against President Nicolas Maduro in an unofficial plebiscite, Venezuela's opposition mulled on July 17 how to escalate protests and block a new congress it fears may enshrine Socialist Party hegemony.

More than 200,000 protesters took to the streets in Venezuela on May 20 on day 50 of an angry and sometimes deadly showdown with unpopular President Nicolas Maduro.

As with many of the previous marches in crisis-hit Venezuela, police fired tear gas as protesters in the capital of the oil rich country suffering from dire shortages of the most basic of goods.

"I am no Mussolini," insisted Venezuela's beleagured President Nicolas Maduro on television early this month, but if things go on this way he could end up like Mussolini. That would be very unfortunate for him, and also for Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro hiked wages and handed out hundreds of free homes on April 30 amid his efforts to counter a strengthening protest movement seeking his removal.

The entrenched and embattled presidents of Venezuela and Turkey may live worlds apart, but their tenures in office are acquiring striking similarities.

Twelve people were killed in Caracas overnight following two days of mass street protests against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s beleaguered government.
Six people were also injured in the escalating violence, the public ministry said in a statement on Friday. The latest figures raised the total number of deaths during growing protests to 20 over the past three weeks.

General Motors said on April 19 that Venezuelan authorities had illegally seized its plant in the industrial hub of Valencia and vowed to "take all legal actions" to defend its rights.

The seizure comes amid a deepening economic crisis in leftist-led Venezuela that has already roiled many U.S. companies. 

Venezuela’s government has announced a 50% increase in the minimum wage and pensions amid runaway inflation.

President Nicolas Maduro says the move will protect jobs and incomes. Critics say it may worsen the crisis.