Moody's sees credit risk in Venezuela amidst uncertainty over Chávez

The sovereign debt rating of Venezuela, already in junk status, is facing the risk of being revised in the near term vis-à-vis a political transition given the inability of President Hugo Chávez to attend his inauguration on January 10, warned Moody's Investors Service Wednesday.

"Regardless of who succeeds (Hugo) Chávez and what side of the political spectrum he represents, if materialized, this potential opportunity is offset in the short-term by the risks associated with the political transition that could adversely affect the rating of Venezuela," said the firm in a statement.

Moody's rating of Venezuela's debt is B2 with a stable outlook, backed by the country's oil wealth. Standard & Poor's and Fitch Ratings have rated Venezuelan debt as B+. S & P forecast a stable outlook, while Fitch reported a negative outlook.