CARACAS, Venezuela, (UPI) -- A Venezuelan Supreme Court ruling letting President Hugo Chavez begin his new term Thursday in absentia was politically motivated, a key opposition leader said.
The court's ruling was intended "to resolve the problem" in the ruling United Socialist Party of a growing power struggle between Vice President Nicolas Maduro and National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, Henrique Capriles said.
The power struggle has "totally paralyzed" the government, he said.

SAO PAULO -- A top Brazilian newspaper is reporting that popular former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will be investigated for allegations that he knew about a massive cash-for-votes scheme, the nation's biggest corruption scandal.
The Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reports Wednesday that the attorney general has ordered the formal investigation. It cited no sources.
Before hours call to the attorney general's office weren't answered.

CHICAGO, CMC – A leading United States newspaper Tuesday said that Jamaica’s debt crisis is in a worse financial shape than Greece and suggested that the Portia Simpson Miller administration consider a bailout plan with significant debt relief.
The Chicago Tribune in an editorial said that Jamaica has more debt in relation to the size of its economy than any other country and warned against the Caribbean island becoming what it labelled “The Greece of the Western Hemisphere”.

Venezuelans and their political leaders are facing a week of questions as the country, and the world, wait to see if ailing President Hugo Chavez takes the oath of office January 10.
Thursday is the day designated by the Venezuelan constitution for administering the oath of office. Chavez won re-election in October, but he has been in Cuba for cancer treatment and has not been seen in public for nearly a month.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana - The election which took place yesterday in Venezuela was of a certain significance. It was a poll among legislators to elect the chairman of the National Assembly and pitted Diosdado Cabello, who already held the post, against challenger Blanca Eekhout, who belongs to the Chávista faction led by Vice President Nicolás Maduro.  It masked the jostling for power which is going on behind the scenes in the wake of President Chávez’s latest bout of illness, and the cloud hanging over his swearing in for his fourth term on January 10.