Politics
President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas laid a wreath at the tomb of Liberator Simón Bolívar at the National Pantheon in Caracas, where he arrived on Thursday night on an official visit.

Abbas, who is ending his Latin American tour in Caracas, is meeting in the afternoon with President Hugo Chávez. He also was the guest of honor at the National Assembly, where he delivered a speech.

Chávez, who is a strong advocate of the Palestinian cause, broke diplomatic relations with Israel in January this year due to its military offensive on the Gaza Strip.

The Venezuelan president, who has called Israel "a genocidal State," opened a Palestinian diplomatic mission in Caracas in April.

Before visiting Caracas, Abbas travelled to Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Paraguay, whose leaders supported the future establishment of a Palestinian State.