Courtesy of: Raul Abreu / AP

This week: the Bolivar’s value hits a record low as Chávez feels the pressure to increase bond sales; the Venezuelan opposition seeks amnesty for political prisoners and opponents of Chávez living in exile; and Venezuelan Judge Afiuni says she was raped while in prison, after she was jailed for issuing a ruling that irked Chávez. Chávez’s recent medical trip to Cuba causes many Venezuelans to question his longevity and the viability of his socialist regime; the central bank of Venezuela reports that non-oil exports are at their worst level since 1997; Henri Falcón, the opposition governor of Lara, says he and supporters were attacked with tear gas and stones during a political event. Meanwhile, Chávez continues to advance his plan for communes in Venezuela; the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean registered an escalation of poverty in Venezuela, despite the decrease in poverty in other Latin American countries. Lastly, the Economist reports that Chávez’s nationalization of Venezuelan ports has led to inefficient, congested wharves and a dramatic increase in imports.

Chavez Choking on Bolivars to Spur Venezuelan Bond Sales, Bloomberg

The bolivar’s plunge to a record on the black market is pressuring Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to end the longest drought of dollar-bond sales in five years.

Venezuela opposition seeks amnesty for prisoners and return home for Chavez opponents in exile, Washington Post

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan opposition lawmakers have drawn up a list of prisoners they consider to be wrongly jailed and want freed, and are also demanding that dozens of government opponents living in exile should be allowed to return home.

Venezuelan Judge Who Angered Chávez Says She Was Raped While in Prison, New York Times

CARACAS, Venezuela — An arrested judge at the center of one of Venezuela’s most prominent human rights cases was raped while in prison and then had an abortion behind bars after becoming pregnant, according to the judge’s lawyer and a book published last week in Caracas that has stirred new controversy around the case.

Venezuelan non-oil exports at the worst level since 1997, El Universal

Venezuela’s entry into the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) took place amidst the worst moment of the local industry. Dependence on oil revenues, higher imports, and small export capacity are just some of the aspects defining the country’s current economy.

Chavez’s return to Cuba for treatment rattles Venezuela, Reuters

(Reuters) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez flew into Cuba on Wednesday for cancer-linked medical treatment that revived questions about the viability of his socialist rule and left Venezuelans again guessing about his exact condition.

Venezuela Opposition Gov Says Supporters Attacked, ABC News

The opposition governor of Lara state in central Venezuela says he and his followers were attacked with guns, tear gas and stones during a political event, presumably by rival ruling party supporters.

Communal state advances in Venezuela, Buenos Aires Herald

Barely a wink after the October presidential elections, Venezuelans will once again be returning to the polls on Sunday, December 16. With Hugo Chávez re-elected for another six years with 54 percent of the vote, but absent and silent for the last 12 days and now heading to Cuba for more medical treatment, in the coming elections Venezuelans will now choose 23 governors and 233 state lawmakers.

Venezuela Raises Prices on Corn Flour, Rice, Coffee, Loyo Says, Bloomberg

Venezuela raised price caps on pre- cooked corn flour, white rice and ground coffee by as much as 46 percent, Agriculture Minister Juan Carlos Loyo said today. The cost of a kilogram of pre-cooked corn flour rose 46 percent to 5.93 bolivars ($1.38) from 4.06 bolivars and a kilogram of white rice rose 28 percent to 7.2 bolivars from 5.62 bolivars, Loyo said on state television.

ECLAC: Poverty and indigence escalate in Venezuela, El Universal

According to the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), based on information compiled until 2011, seven out of 12 countries in Latin America reported a drop in poverty.

Cancelling Christmas, The Economist

THOSE who claim to deplore the commercialisation of Christmas should move to Venezuela. Seasonal products, from Christmas trees to toys, trinkets and delicacies, are piled up in the country’s ports, thanks to inefficient, congested wharves and a dramatic increase in imports.