Since his election as president of Venezuela in 1998, leftist strongman Hugo Chávez has shattered his country’s already weak institutions to expand and sustain his grip on power and has built an anti-U.S. alliance with Cuba, Iran, Russia and China.

Venezuela's impeached supreme court justice, Judge Eladio Aponte-Aponte describes a judicial system that is systematically corrupted by Chávista cronies and military leaders who have made billions of dollars trafficking in cocaine and laundering the proceeds of an international criminal syndicate.

What does China stand to lose when Chávez dies, and what will Beijing do to preserve its sweetheart oil deals with Venezuela? Join a panel discussion on this timely and significant topic.

If a narco-state or violent crackdown emerges in Venezuela, the White House will no longer be able to avert its attention from the mess or to ‘lead from behind.'

The Venezuelan opposition is waiting for a showdown in presidential elections set for Oct. 7, but a corrupt Chavista cadre has already seized the advantage and will seek to hold on to power by any means necessary.

A Spanish translation of Ambassador Noreiga's "Sinister forces at work in Venezeula power struggle"

Followers of cancer-stricken strongman Hugo Chávez are stunned after nearly 3 million Venezuelans voted Sunday to select a unity candidate to compete in presidential elections scheduled for October. If the opposition has any real hope of defeating Chavismo, they will have to be prepared for dirty tricks, provocations, and even a narco-coup in the months ahead.

A Spanish translation of Ambassador Noriega's "Venezuela's Democrats may face Chavez's narco-coup"