U.S.-Venezuelan relations have been tense in recent years, although both nations agreed this year to seek a relationship based on mutual interest.

VOA: standard.2009.09.24

The only thing they have to pay on that is a regular interest charge to the IMF as a fee for the conversion of the currency,"

VOA: standard.2009.04.20

Something that can do an attack on the United States, a US interest with the ties that we have and globalization and our economics effects everybody."

VOA: standard.2010.08.06

"This is not only a strategic interest of the United States, it is an issue of personal importance to me, and one I have worked on for almost four decades,"

VOA: standard.2010.01.06

"We know that they rely on all sorts of Palestinian sources many of whom have a vested interest in making the numbers of civilian casualties appear higher than they are."

VOA: standard.2009.09.09

"Unfortunately though, most of the key international actors who have displayed quite a lot of interest in what is going on in south and central Somalia over the past couple of years, have really continued to neglect and ignore what is going on here in Somaliland."

VOA: standard.2009.09.07