If Chavez initiates talks, Obama would likely agree, Gibbs says

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

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Venezuela: Chavez says he’s willing to take Gitmo inmates

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he would be willing to accept prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention center, which U.S. President Barack Obama has said he will close, the Venezuelan government said Thursday. Chavez also said he hopes the United States will give Cuba back the land on which the naval base is located, the government said in a news release.

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Bomb kills Guinea-Bissau military chief

A bomb went off in the office of Guinea-Bissau’s military chief, Gen. Tagme Na Waie, killing him and wounding five other high-ranking military officials, according to local media. “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

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Venezuelan leader orders troops to take over rice plants

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 the takeover will last, but warned that some companies could be nationalized if they tried to interrupt supplies

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Venezuelans to vote on term limits for elected officials

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.

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