President Obama doesn't have a one-on-one meeting scheduled with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, but if Chavez were to initiate a conversation, Obama would likely go along with it, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. Obama on Friday travels to Trinidad and Tobago for the Summit of the Americas, a meeting of leaders from North and South America. While there are no plans for a one-on-one with Chavez, the Venezuelan president is expected to be among several leaders at ...

Since the revolution in 1959 Cuba has been many things to many people, but the collapse of the Soviet Union meant few have seen the island state as a vision of the future. As worries about "peak oil" grow in developed nations, the communist republic is proving to be an increasingly popular example of how to cope when the spigots run dry, for the simple reason: they've already been there. With the loss of supplies from oil-rich Russia ...

The problem facing President Barack Obama in Latin America is that under the peevishness and negligence of his predecessor, the continent saw a stunning expansion of the anti-U.S. left. The solution to that problem may be Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who on Saturday becomes the first Latin American leader to visit the Obama White House — an invitation that all but anoints him as President Obama's liaison to the region. Smart choice, because the gravelly voiced ...

Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez fired 700 police officers Sunday and forced the retirement of 31 military and police generals, two days after he promised in a state-of-the-nation speech to cleanse the government of corruption. Some analysts said the changes appear to be an attempt by Raul Castro to replace long-time Fidel Castro loyalists with his own supporters. Among the changes: Felipe Perez Roque, the 43-year-old foreign minister, was replaced by his deputy, Bruno Rodriguez Aprilla. Carlos Lage Davila, an ...

In a major shake-up the likes of which Cubans have not seen for decades, President Raul Castro on Monday reorganized his Cabinet, replacing long-time aides to his brother Fidel, who resigned from office a year ago, citing poor health. Some analysts said the changes appear to be an attempt by Raul Castro to replace long-time Fidel Castro loyalists with his own supporters. Among the changes: Felipe Perez Roque, the 43-year-old foreign minister, was replaced by his deputy, Bruno Rodriguez Aprilla. ...

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has ordered troops to immediately take over rice-processing plants in his country, accusing some businesses of ignoring prices set by the government. "What are some of the sectors of the agricultural industry doing They buy rice from producers, and they don't want to produce regulated rice," Chavez said in a televised address Saturday. "Well, I've ordered the intervention, starting right now, of all those sectors of the agricultural industry." Chavez did not say how long ...

Three more bodies and a fetus have been discovered west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, where six bodies were unearthed earlier this month, police said Tuesday. The new discoveries bring to nine the number of bodies that investigators have discovered, including the remains of a pregnant woman who was found Monday. She appeared to be in her first trimester, police spokesman John Walsh said. The remains of two people were found Saturday. The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator ...

Venezuelans will decide Sunday whether to change the constitution to allow President Hugo Chavez and other elected officials to run for office indefinitely. The National Assembly approved the referendum last month. Venezuelans narrowly rejected a similar measure in December 2007. Results from this weekend's balloting are expected from the National Electoral Council on Monday morning. If it passes, Chavez could run for a third consecutive six-year term in 2012. Chavez called for the referendum in late November, a week after ...