When an imperious bully like Fidel Castro starts to fear, his instinct is to try to sow fear among his enemies. Today, with his student and benefactor, Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, dying of cancer, what the Cuban dictator fears most is that his bankrupt regime in Havana is about to lose billions in critical aid and oil.

What sort of economic model will Raúl leave behind? And what strategies can restore genuine economic opportunity and freedom to the Cuban people? Please join us for a discussion of these topics and more, keynoted by Castro scholar, author and former U.S. intelligence analyst Brian Latell.

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"

The Venezuelan opposition must begin to prepare for a future without Hugo Chávez. The same is true for the U.S.government, which has been all but ignoring Venezuela for the last five years.

Doctors treating Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez for cancer told him weeks ago that he has only a 50 percent chance of living another 18 months. Members of Chávez's inner circle are scrambling now to ensure a succession of power to the leader's older brother, Adán.

Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez is working relentlessly to find new markets for his oil so he can leave the United States high and dry, but America should send the message that when Chávez threatens to cut off oil to the United States, he is playing Russian roulette with Venezuela's future.

In order to defend U.S. interests and advance U.S. values, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should be direct with Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa about his authoritarian style, abuse of the courts, and tolerance of drug trafficking and other corruption.