Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday replaced Rafael Ramirez as head of the country's state oil giant PDVSA and appointed him as foreign minister.

Ramirez, who held the post for a decade, was also relieved of his role as the oil minister and vice president for economic policy, to become -- in addition to top diplomat -- political vice president.

Prices keep rising in Venezuela, economic activity is sputtering and shops struggle to fill their shelves.

But don't ask the central bank how bad things really are: it hasn't published key data in months.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made a surprise visit to Cuba to meet with Fidel Castro, who praised his guest's "solidarity" with the Palestinian people and condemned the "genocide" in Gaza.

The former Cuban president and leader of the island's communist revolution said Maduro had made the visit Tuesday during a "foreign trip regarding the defense of his country's major oil interests."

Leftist leaders Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua sent warm birthday greetings to Fidel Castro on Wednesday as the father of the Cuban Revolution turned 88.

Maduro called Castro a "giant of history" as he marked the former Cuban president's birthday on Venezuelan television.

The United States has slapped travel bans on a number of Venezuelan government officials accused of involvement in human rights abuses, a senior U.S. diplomat said Wednesday, amid growing tensions between the two countries.

In Caracas, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua dismissed the move as an act of desperation in response to his government's closer ties with China.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says a "little bird" has appeared to him once again to assure him that his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez, is "happy and full of love."

Maduro made the assertion Monday during a ceremony to mark what would have been Chavez's 60th birthday in his hometown of Sabaneta. Chavez died March 5, 2013.

The United States said Monday it was "deeply disappointed" after Aruba released a former Venezuelan military chief wanted in the U.S. for drug trafficking charges.

A State Department spokesperson said Washington had made a "legitimate request" for the arrest of retired major general Hugo Carvajal in line with its extradition treaty with Aruba and the Netherlands and was "disturbed by credible reports" that the Venezuelan government had threatened both territories to win Carvajal's release.

A Venezuelan ex-military intelligence chief arrested by Aruba at the United States' request on drug trafficking charges was freed Sunday and quickly returned home to Caracas, authorities said.

Retired major general Hugo Carvajal had been detained Wednesday on the southern Caribbean island, where he had been designated but not confirmed as Venezuela's consul. 

The Venezuelan government Friday demanded the release of a former military intelligence chief who was arrested in Aruba at U.S. request to face drug trafficking charges.

Retired major general Hugo Carvajal was arrested Wednesday night on the Dutch-owned island, where he had been designated but not confirmed as Venezuela's consul.

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez went on trial Wednesday on charges of inciting violence during anti-government protests that ultimately left 43 people dead.

The Harvard-educated economist, who says the charges are politically motivated, was transferred before dawn from his military prison on the outskirts of Caracas to a court in the center of the capital to stand trial alongside four students.