State of denial: Venezuela's Maduro says opposition is causing financial crisis

Venezuela's embattled president pulled out all the stops, including props and a video, in a three-hour national speech Wednesday night announcing a boost in wages while dismissing talk that his oil-dependent nation is headed to triple-digit inflation and a deepening recession. He called on Venezuelans to "come together and work to overcome our economic difficulties," adding that while oil prices are unlikely to bounce back to the highs of last year "God will provide."More…