Maduro expressed his support for the Caribbean nations seeking reparations from former colonial power. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed support for the Caribbean call for reparations from their former colonial powers, in an address to the country on Wednesday. Maduro expressed his support for those 15 Caribbean nations seeking reparations from former slave-trading nations, including the U.K., France, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

The Pope says Christians are hypocritical if they support the global arms trade. Pope Francis condemned weapons manufacturers as un-Christian during a fiery speech Sunday. During an event in the Italian city of Turin, the Pope delivered a largely unscripted speech on various themes, including trust and war. “It makes me think of ... people, managers, businessmen who call themselves Christian and they manufacture weapons.

That leads to a bit of distrust, doesn't it?” he said. The comment was met by a round of applause. He continued by slamming investors in the global arms industry, stating, “duplicity is the currency of today ... they say one thing and do another.” During the same speech, Pope Francis spoke out in favor of migrant rights, while condemning government corruption. "Immigration increases competition, but migrants should not be blamed because they are the victims of injustice, of this throw-away economy, of wars," he said.

European politician Javier Couso criticized the lack of balance of the European Parliament in its handling of human rights issues in Venezuela. A committee representing the victims of Venezuelan right-wing violence in early 2014, met Tuesday with the European Parliament in Brussels to explain their side of the events that left more than 40 people dead. Known as the “Victims of the Guarimbas,” the group, made up of family members and friends of the victims, is seeking recognition of the rights violations that occurred from February to May last year. Anti-government groups used blockades to prevent people’s access to health and urgent hospital treatment, schooling, and work. People from both sides of politics were killed as they tried to get through blockades, due to car crashes, wires placed across the roads, or being shot as they tried to clear a path. The group told the European Parliament members that constant human rights abuses had taken place.

President Nicolas Maduro says he will “modernize” Venezuela's public transport system. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced a slew of measures Tuesday to reinforcing his country's transport sector, after issuing a warning that anti-government sectors are plotting to attack public transport and infrastructure. “There is a plan linked to right-wing extremists to inflict pain on the transport sector, to generate chaos,” Maduro warned.

He said four transport workers have been assassinated in the state of Nueva Esparta in the past two weeks alone, as part of right-wing efforts to spread fear and destabilize the country. In early 2014, violent right-wing groups, which took to the streets to demand Maduro resign, targeted public transport.

The hand painted backboards carry messages promoting peace and condemning violent culture. Hundreds of brightly decorated basketball backboards made by youth activists will be installed in communities nationwide, Venezuela's sports minister Alexander Vargas announced Thursday. “These young people were prepared to promote this movement, and these backboards carry revolutionary messages that we seek to promote peace,” Vargas told state media.

Venezuela has invested US$142 billion dollars in food programs over the last 10 years. Venezuelan Vice President Jorge Arreaza urged the international community to speed up the fight against hunger, as World leaders gather Monday at the biannual conference of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.Representatives from some 190 countries, including 130 ministers, 12 heads of state are in Rome for the FAO session, which will run until June 13. According to Venezuela's vice president, the socialist government has invested US$142 billion dollars in food programs over the last 10 years, resulting a drop in malnutrition to 5 percent for close to 14 percent in 1992.