Hugo Chaves

During a moment of peak tensions between Colombia and Venezuela, Vladimir Putin told the late Hugo Chávez to count on his support if war broke out, according to a new biography of José Mujica, the popular ex-Uruguayan president who was close to his Venezuelan counterpart.

Granma published four photographs on its website of the 88-year-old Castro seated inside a bus or van and shaking the hands of supporters leaning in through the vehicle's windows.

Most of Costa Rica's highest ranking officials have come down hard on Venezuela's deadly response to anti-government protests on Friday. But ex-President Oscar Arias began raising his voice last night. On Thursday, the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize winner gave one of the most thorough condemnations of the Nicolás Maduro's government.