CARACAS, Oct 5 (Reuters) – Two new opinion polls showed the
popularity of Venezuela’s socialist President Hugo Chavez
rising as he battles cancer a year ahead of a re-election bid.

The 57-year-old has undergone four chemotherapy sessions
since having surgery in Cuba in June to remove a baseball-sized
tumor from his pelvis. He has vowed to win another six-year
term at next year’s Oct. 7 presidential vote.

CARACAS, Oct 3 (Reuters) – Speculation about President Hugo
Chavez’s health after cancer treatment, falling oil output that
could slow economic recovery and rising passions ahead of next
year’s presidential election are the main risks to watch in
Venezuela.

CHAVEZ’S CANCER

The 57-year-old socialist leader is due to travel to Cuba
again in October for medical tests after completing four rounds
of chemotherapy that he says were successful.

CARACAS, Sept 2 (Reuters) – The uncertain pace of President
Hugo Chavez’s recovery from cancer, falling oil output that
could slow an economic recovery and rising tensions ahead of
next year’s presidential election are the main risks to watch
in Venezuela.

CHAVEZ’S CANCER

The 57-year-old socialist leader underwent a third session
of chemotherapy in late August, but this time decided to have
the treatment at a military hospital in Caracas. [ID:nCHAVEZ]

CARACAS, Aug 19 (Reuters) – Opposition lawmakers in
Venezuela accused the government of repatriating the country’s
gold reserves from Western banks in a ploy to fill its coffers
ahead of President Hugo Chavez’s re-election bid next year.

In a sign of mounting tensions ahead of the 2012 ballot,
when Chavez will seek a new six-year term despite recovering
from cancer, both sides denounced the others as traitors late
on Thursday in one of the fiercest parliament debates for
months.

CARACAS, Aug 18 (Reuters) – Toronto-listed miner Rusoro
(RML.V: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) appeared unfazed on Thursday by President Hugo Chavez’s
move to nationalize Venezuela’s gold industry, saying it believed
the decision only targeted illegal miners.

In a typically combative step ahead of a re-election bid next
year, Chavez said on Wednesday he would put the industry under
state control, partly to boost the South American country’s
international gold reserves. [ID:nN1E77G0WN]

CARACAS, Aug 18 (Reuters) – Toronto-listed miner Rusoro
(RML.V: Quote, Profile, Research) appeared unfazed on Thursday by President Hugo Chavez’s
move to nationalize Venezuela’s gold industry, saying it believed
the decision only targeted illegal miners.

In a typically combative step ahead of a re-election bid next
year, Chavez said on Wednesday he would put the industry under
state control, partly to boost the South American country’s
international gold reserves. [ID:nN1E77G0WN]

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s surprise move to bring home its international bullion reserves from Western banks shines a spotlight on the country’s heavy reliance on gold, and the risks it runs if prices were to fall.

President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday the government will repatriate almost all of its $11 billion in gold reserves held abroad, saying they will be safer than in states with mounting debt worries in Europe and the United States.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela received an enviable honor last month: OPEC said it is sitting on the biggest reserves of crude oil in the world — even more than Saudi Arabia.

But the Venezuelan oil industry is also sitting atop a well of trouble.

The South American nation has struggled to take advantage of its bonanza of expanding reserves. And a scandal over embezzled pension funds at state oil company PDVSA has renewed concerns about corruption and mismanagement.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela will nationalize its gold industry and is moving its international reserves out of Western countries, President Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday in a combative step ahead of his re-election bid next year.

The moves will make the finances of South America’s biggest oil exporter even murkier as the 57-year-old socialist leader gears up for an election battle that was already looking close even before he was recently diagnosed with cancer.

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela received an enviable honor last month: OPEC said it is sitting on the biggest reserves of crude oil in the world — even more than Saudi Arabia.

But the Venezuelan oil industry is also sitting atop a well of trouble.

The South American nation has struggled to take advantage of its bonanza of expanding reserves. And a scandal over embezzled pension funds at state oil company PDVSA has renewed concerns about corruption and mismanagement.