A customer, carrying a microwave oven, leaves a store in Caracas, Monday, Jan. 11, 2010. Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez said Friday the bolivar will now have two government-set rates: 2.60 to the dollar for transactions deemed priorities by the government, and 4.30 to the dollar for other transactions. Read more →

A customer, carrying a microwave oven, leaves a store in Caracas, Monday, Jan. 11, 2010. Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez said Friday the bolivar will now have two government-set rates: 2.60 to the dollar for transactions deemed priorities by the government, and 4.30 to the dollar for other transactions.

Read more →

A caterpillar works at the Rio Grande lithium pilot plant prior to a visit of Bolivia’s President Evo Morales in the Salar de Uyuni salt desert , in southern Bolivia, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009. Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat at 10,582 km2 (4,085 square miles) and holds around half the world’s reserves of lithium. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

A caterpillar works at the Rio Grande lithium pilot plant prior to a visit of Bolivia’s President Evo Morales in the Salar de Uyuni salt desert , in southern Bolivia, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009. Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat at 10,582 km2 (4,085 square miles) and holds around half the world’s reserves of lithium. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)