In this week’s roundup… As Venezuela’s economy and infrastructure continue to crumble, President Hugo Chávez insists on furthering his failed economic policies and expropriations; inflation spikes as Venezuelan merchants struggle to turn profits; the remains of former President Carlos Andrés Perez are finally buried at home; Chávez turns a blind eye to accusations of government complicity in the drug trade; and six in 10 Venezuelans say that the president should not be reelected next year.                                                                                                                               

Chavez: Houses on Caribbean islands will be seized, The Associated Press

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced Thursday that his government will expropriate homes on the Caribbean resort islands of Los Roques, saying the structures were built on plots bought in shadowy business deals.

Venezuela’s infrastructure falling apart, The Economist 

ENSURING that the engines stay properly attached to the fuselage is, one might think, a fairly fundamental part of maintaining a passenger aircraft.

FACTBOX-Key political risks to watch in Venezuela, 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.

Venezuela’s new political battlefield: Twitter, The Associated Press via The Washington Times

Over months, Venezuelan TV soap opera writer Leonardo Padron built a Twitter following of about 250,000 people by posting more than a dozen messages a day, many of them skewering President Hugo Chavez.

All that’s gold doesn’t glitter, CNN (By Fareed Zakaria)

What do Hugo Chavez and Glenn Beck have in common? The socialist/populist president of Venezuela and the right-wing talk show host often have strange ideas – just not the same ones.

The struggle to balance inflation and shortages in Venezuela, Christian Science Monitor            

A recent El Universal has an article talking about how hard it is for local producers in Venezuela to sell regulated products at a profit, which leads to shortages.

Venezuelans rally as body of ex-leader returns, AFP

Thousands of supporters of former Venezuelan president Carlos Andres Perez rallied in the capital after the return of his body from the United States following a long legal battle.

Six out of 10 people think that Chávez should not be reelected, El Universal

They would like the Venezuelan Head of State to complete his term in 2012.The positive assessment of President Hugo Chávez’s administration reached 58.9% in September, a 10% increase compared to July, according to Venezuelan polling company Datanálisis.

By the planeload: Hugo Chávez seems unperturbed by claims of official complicity in crime, The Economist

OPPONENTS of Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chávez, are eagerly awaiting the trial of Walid Makled, a businessman extradited from Colombia five months ago.