&ldquo;The mother of all protests&rdquo; &ndash; that&rsquo;s what Venezuela&rsquo;s opposition movement called an enormous march last week, in which over a million citizens took to the streets to &ldquo;defend the homeland&rdquo; against President Nicol&aacute;s Maduro&rsquo;s increasingly authoritarian regime.

Protests alone rarely spur regime change. But without them &ndash; in Venezuela, as in many countries &ndash; political transition is impossible. And it is now evident that the wave of protests that has seized the country in recent weeks has had a significant impact on the evolution of Venezuela&rsquo;s political situation, even though some might wish to deny this.

The pro-democracy parties and movements that oppose the Maduro government have managed to shift the battleground for their political fight. They have taken it out of state institutions where their only support is in the legislature, which has long been neutered by administration-controlled institutions, such as the Supreme Court, and onto the streets.

The immense public show of anger was unexpected, and it has made for a more symmetrical conflict between the government and its opposition. But will the current demonstrations end differently than the 2014 protest movement or last year&rsquo;s failed attempt to remove the president via referendum?

The answer to this question largely depends on what position the Venezuelan military now takes.

Loosening grip

For many years, Venezuela&rsquo;s authoritarian regime had two advantages: Hugo Ch&aacute;vez&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/9911642/Hugo-Chavez-Venezuelans-mourn-death-of-charismatic-leader.html">charismatic leadership</a> and abundant <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/oil-made-venezuela-rich-and-now-its-making-it-poor/">oil income</a>, which allowed the government to finance clientelistic relations and foster support with vested interests.

Together, they enabled Ch&aacute;vez&rsquo;s United Socialist Party of Venezuela to <a href="http://www.psuv.org.ve/portada/hoy-se-cumplen-14-anos-primer-triunfo-electoral-comandante-chavez/#.WQj_IlKZNYc">triumph in almost every election</a> from 1998 to 2012. But Maduro, his chosen successor, has neither going for him. And he is now facing the collapse of the Ch&aacute;vez model and the impossibility of reestablishing his government&rsquo;s legitimacy electorally.

Ever since his party was defeated in legislative elections in December 2015, the president has relied on a complicit Supreme Court and National Election Council to avoid being removed via an opposition-supported recall referendum.

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At the protest in front of the Justice Palace <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Valencia?src=hash">#Valencia</a> , <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Venezuela?src=hash">#Venezuela</a>. <a href="https://t.co/in03uhH7IU">pic.twitter.com/in03uhH7IU</a>
&mdash; Tito Zerpa Figarella (@tzerpaf) <a href="https://twitter.com/tzerpaf/status/859109187393122304">May 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Those government bodies have also enabled him to indefinitely postpone gubernatorial elections that, constitutionally speaking, should <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/04/08/523058318/opposition-parties-in-venezuela-prepare-for-elections-hoping-they-will-come">have taken place last year</a> (polls indicated that ruling party candidates would roundly lose).

Venezuela&rsquo;s situation is not unprecedented. Eventually, every authoritarian regime that has used elections to maintain power (Mexico&rsquo;s Partido Revolucionario Institucional is another Latin American example), reaches the point where, having lost political support, it has two choices: try to negotiate the consequences of an electoral defeat or seek to stay in power through the use of brute force.

If it chooses the latter, the government must depend principally on cooperation from the military. And this is the uncomfortable position in which Maduro now finds himself.

The generals in their labyrinth

But Venezuela&rsquo;s armed forces are facing their own dilemma: either maintain a neutral institutional role or support the regime in repressing its own people.

Authoritarian regimes that stay in power using violence are well aware of their dependency on the military, so they try to find ways to gain its commitment, including by incorporating the military into the government itself.

The practice of appointing generals into positions of power existed under Ch&aacute;vez, but it has increased markedly since Maduro&rsquo;s dubious election in 2013, which called into question the legitimacy of his government. And it&rsquo;s now difficult to distinguish between government and the military as a significant number of Maduro&rsquo;s cabinet members are active in the armed forces.

The military&rsquo;s commitment to its government can also be facilitated by incentivising or planning confrontations in which soldiers become personally responsible for violating the human rights of citizens. This tactic turns the army into a hostage of the status quo.

This quandary is the greatest asset of those who seek regime change in Venezuela today. The ongoing mass protests have actually shifted the balance of power toward the opposition, at least temporarily, because continuing to repress demonstrators will have an increasingly high cost for both the government and the military.

Protests aren&rsquo;t cost-free for the opposition, of course. Since this wave of demonstrations began in late March, <a href="http://noticieros.televisa.com/ultimas-noticias/internacional/2017-04-26/sube-29-cifra-muertos-durante-protestas-venezuela/">29 people have been killed</a>, along with a large (but undefined) number who have been wounded and arrested.

The main worry is not that this wave of protests will flicker out without producing yearned-for political change. It&rsquo;s that if it does fail, it will leave the battlefield negatively balanced, setting the opposition back and again reinforcing Maduro&rsquo;s power.

The challenge for Venezuela&rsquo;s generals at this point is to find a way out of this labyrinth that allows them to protect both their personal and professional interests, which do not always overlap.

Soldiers are accustomed to obeying orders but there&rsquo;s no guarantee that they will help implement illegitimate decisions, such as cracking down ever harder on protesters. And if commanders and troops refuse to pay the price for human rights violations by personally and absolutely implicating themselves in the status quo, then the military&rsquo;s bottom-heavy pyramid structure may well collapse along with the government.

At this point, following orders could prove costlier than disobedience for those in the army.

Playing with time

All this means continued demonstrations could actually spur political change in Venezuela.

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Today&#39;s protest against Maduro&#39;s Government in Caracas. Just minutes before the crowd was attacked by the military <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Venezuela?src=hash">#Venezuela</a> <a href="https://t.co/8h0xrW1EOC">pic.twitter.com/8h0xrW1EOC</a>
&mdash; Maria Alesia Sosa (@MariaAlesiaSosa) <a href="https://twitter.com/MariaAlesiaSosa/status/857326071720669184">April 26, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Generally speaking, time works against protest movements. But repression works against governments because it creates a vicious cycle. When the government uses force against protesters it loses credibility. And the more credibility it loses, the more it relies on the use of force, which, in turn, spurs protesters to keep on marching.

The fact is that the Maduro regime&rsquo;s survival depends almost exclusively on whether the armed forces are willing to violently repress the Venezuelan people. And that decision depends on the cost-benefit analysis up and down the military chain of command as generals and soldiers alike weigh the pros and cons of their current dilemma.

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/77080/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />They have to decide whether to maintain the status quo by using force or step back and allow change to happen in a less traumatic way. That is, after all, how democracy works.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-restless-venezuela-the-military-will-determine-how-long-maduros-regime-can-last-77080">original article</a>.

The county's armed forces are facing their own dilemma: either maintain a neutral institutional role or support the regime in repressing its own people

“The mother of all protests” – that’s what Venezuela’s opposition movement called an enormous march last week, in which over a million citizens took to the streets to “defend the homeland” against President Nicolás Maduro’s increasingly authoritarian regime. Protests alone rarely spur regime change. But without them – in Venezuela, as in many countries – political transition is impossible. And it is now evident that the wave of protests that has seized the country in recent weeks has had a significant impact on the evolution of Venezuela’s political situation, even though some might wish to deny this. The pro-democracy parties and movements that oppose the Maduro government have managed to shift the battleground for their political fight. They have taken it out of state institutions where their only support is in the legislature, which has long been neutered by administration-controlled institutions, such as the Supreme Court, and onto the streets. The immense public show of anger was unexpected, and it has made for a more symmetrical conflict between the government and its opposition. But will the current demonstrations end differently than the 2014 protest movement or last year’s failed attempt to remove the president via referendum? The answer to this question largely depends on what position the Venezuelan military now takes. Loosening grip For many years, Venezuela’s authoritarian regime had two advantages: Hugo Chávez’s charismatic leadership and abundant oil income, which allowed the government to finance clientelistic relations and foster support with vested interests. Together, they enabled Chávez’s United Socialist Party of Venezuela to triumph in almost every election from 1998 to 2012. But Maduro, his chosen successor, has neither going for him. And he is now facing the collapse of the Chávez model and the impossibility of reestablishing his government’s legitimacy electorally. Ever since his party was defeated in legislative elections in December 2015, the president has relied on a complicit Supreme Court and National Election Council to avoid being removed via an opposition-supported recall referendum. At the protest in front of the Justice Palace #Valencia , #Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/in03uhH7IU — Tito Zerpa Figarella (@tzerpaf) May 1, 2017 × Those government bodies have also enabled him to indefinitely postpone gubernatorial elections that, constitutionally speaking, should have taken place last year (polls indicated that ruling party candidates would roundly lose). Venezuela’s situation is not unprecedented. Eventually, every authoritarian regime that has used elections to maintain power (Mexico’s Partido Revolucionario Institucional is another Latin American example), reaches the point where, having lost political support, it has two choices: try to negotiate the consequences of an electoral defeat or seek to stay in power through the use of brute force. If it chooses the latter, the government must depend principally on cooperation from the military. And this is the uncomfortable position in which Maduro now finds himself. The generals in their labyrinth But Venezuela’s armed forces are facing their own dilemma: either maintain a neutral institutional role or support the regime in repressing its own people. Authoritarian regimes that stay in power using violence are well aware of their dependency on the military, so they try to find ways to gain its commitment, including by incorporating the military into the government itself. The practice of appointing generals into positions of power existed under Chávez, but it has increased markedly since Maduro’s dubious election in 2013, which called into question the legitimacy of his government. And it’s now difficult to distinguish between government and the military as a significant number of Maduro’s cabinet members are active in the armed forces. The military’s commitment to its government can also be facilitated by incentivising or planning confrontations in which soldiers become personally responsible for violating the human rights of citizens. This tactic turns the army into a hostage of the status quo. This quandary is the greatest asset of those who seek regime change in Venezuela today. The ongoing mass protests have actually shifted the balance of power toward the opposition, at least temporarily, because continuing to repress demonstrators will have an increasingly high cost for both the government and the military. Protests aren’t cost-free for the opposition, of course. Since this wave of demonstrations began in late March, 29 people have been killed, along with a large (but undefined) number who have been wounded and arrested. The main worry is not that this wave of protests will flicker out without producing yearned-for political change. It’s that if it does fail, it will leave the battlefield negatively balanced, setting the opposition back and again reinforcing Maduro’s power. The challenge for Venezuela’s generals at this point is to find a way out of this labyrinth that allows them to protect both their personal and professional interests, which do not always overlap. Soldiers are accustomed to obeying orders but there’s no guarantee that they will help implement illegitimate decisions, such as cracking down ever harder on protesters. And if commanders and troops refuse to pay the price for human rights violations by personally and absolutely implicating themselves in the status quo, then the military’s bottom-heavy pyramid structure may well collapse along with the government. At this point, following orders could prove costlier than disobedience for those in the army. Playing with time All this means continued demonstrations could actually spur political change in Venezuela. Today's protest against Maduro's Government in Caracas. Just minutes before the crowd was attacked by the military #Venezuela pic.twitter.com/8h0xrW1EOC — Maria Alesia Sosa (@MariaAlesiaSosa) April 26, 2017 × Generally speaking, time works against protest movements. But repression works against governments because it creates a vicious cycle. When the government uses force against protesters it loses credibility. And the more credibility it loses, the more it relies on the use of force, which, in turn, spurs protesters to keep on marching. The fact is that the Maduro regime’s survival depends almost exclusively on whether the armed forces are willing to violently repress the Venezuelan people. And that decision depends on the cost-benefit analysis up and down the military chain of command as generals and soldiers alike weigh the pros and cons of their current dilemma. They have to decide whether to maintain the status quo by using force or step back and allow change to happen in a less traumatic way. That is, after all, how democracy works. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

In restless Venezuela, the military will determine how long Maduro?s regime can last

Venezuelan troops on Thursday fired what appeared to be rubber bullets at protesters attacking the perimeter of an airbase and a demonstrator was killed, bringing renewed scrutiny of the force used to control riots that have killed at least 76 people.

At least two soldiers shot long firearms through the fence at protesters from a distance of just a few feet. One man collapsed to the ground and was carried off by other protesters, television footage showed. Paramedics took at least two other injured people to a hospital, a Reuters witness said.

The protesters who attacked the fence outside La Carlota airbase in the wealthy east of Caracas, earlier burnt a truck and a motorbike when security forces broke up a march destined for the attorney general&#39;s office.

David Jose Vallenilla, 22, died after arriving at a hospital in the Chacao municipality where the protest happened, the mayor said.

&quot;He died at a private clinic where he arrived in very bad condition,&quot; said Mayor Ramon Muchacho.

Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets over the past months to protest a clampdown on the opposition, shortages of food and medicine and President Nicolas Maduro&#39;s plan to overhaul the constitution.

The reaction of the security forces to provocation from protesters has been in the spotlight since images showed a national guard pointing a pistol at protesters on Monday.

Opposition lawmaker Jose Manuel Olivares said Vallenilla had been killed by the national guard firing rubber bullets at point blank range. Olivares, whose arm was wounded in the protest, called for sit-ins on highways on Friday and protests at military bases on Saturday.

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Opposition supporters clash with riot security forces at a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro&#39;s government in Caracas, Venezuela June 22, 2017. (Reuters)
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Vallenilla suffered wounds to the lungs and heart, a doctor who attended him told Reuters. Reuters could not independently confirm that Vallenilla was the shooting victim shown in television footage. The attorney general&#39;s office said he was shot three times.

&quot;The troops found responsible for crimes will be presented before the law,&quot; said Interior Minister Nestor Reverol, calling on the opposition to stop violent protests.

Maduro says the violence is part of a foreign-led plot to overthrow his government.

A small group of protesters throwing petrol bombs and powerful fireworks from behind flimsy homemade shields was able to rip down a section of the fence surrounding the airbase, despite volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets.

At least one soldier aimed a shotgun through the fence, Reuters pictures showed. The national guard uses shotgun cartridges filled with small rubber balls in protests.

Venezuela&#39;s national guard is a wing of the military charged with internal public order. It mainly uses tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets to control protests that frequently escalate into riots.

On Monday, a teenager died during another protest in the same area after footage showed a national guard soldier pointing a pistol at protesters.

After that incident, Maduro moved the head of the national guard to a new position looking after security in the capital, part of a reshuffle that brought several more military figures into his cabinet.

The government is investigating troops involved in Monday&#39;s incident. &quot;I have ordered an investigation to see if there was a conspiracy behind this,&quot; Maduro said earlier on Thursday, saying the men involved in Monday&#39;s shooting had been detained.

(Reuters)

This brings renewed scrutiny of the force used to control riots that have killed at least 76 people

Venezuelan troops on Thursday fired what appeared to be rubber bullets at protesters attacking the perimeter of an airbase and a demonstrator was killed, bringing renewed scrutiny of the force used to control riots that have killed at least 76 people. At least two soldiers shot long firearms through the fence at protesters from a distance of just a few feet. One man collapsed to the ground and was carried off by other protesters, television footage showed. Paramedics took at least two other injured people to a hospital, a Reuters witness said. The protesters who attacked the fence outside La Carlota airbase in the wealthy east of Caracas, earlier burnt a truck and a motorbike when security forces broke up a march destined for the attorney general's office. David Jose Vallenilla, 22, died after arriving at a hospital in the Chacao municipality where the protest happened, the mayor said. "He died at a private clinic where he arrived in very bad condition," said Mayor Ramon Muchacho. Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets over the past months to protest a clampdown on the opposition, shortages of food and medicine and President Nicolas Maduro's plan to overhaul the constitution. The reaction of the security forces to provocation from protesters has been in the spotlight since images showed a national guard pointing a pistol at protesters on Monday. Opposition lawmaker Jose Manuel Olivares said Vallenilla had been killed by the national guard firing rubber bullets at point blank range. Olivares, whose arm was wounded in the protest, called for sit-ins on highways on Friday and protests at military bases on Saturday. Opposition supporters clash with riot security forces at a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government in Caracas, Venezuela June 22, 2017. (Reuters) × Vallenilla suffered wounds to the lungs and heart, a doctor who attended him told Reuters. Reuters could not independently confirm that Vallenilla was the shooting victim shown in television footage. The attorney general's office said he was shot three times. "The troops found responsible for crimes will be presented before the law," said Interior Minister Nestor Reverol, calling on the opposition to stop violent protests. Maduro says the violence is part of a foreign-led plot to overthrow his government. A small group of protesters throwing petrol bombs and powerful fireworks from behind flimsy homemade shields was able to rip down a section of the fence surrounding the airbase, despite volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets. At least one soldier aimed a shotgun through the fence, Reuters pictures showed. The national guard uses shotgun cartridges filled with small rubber balls in protests. Venezuela's national guard is a wing of the military charged with internal public order. It mainly uses tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets to control protests that frequently escalate into riots. On Monday, a teenager died during another protest in the same area after footage showed a national guard soldier pointing a pistol at protesters. After that incident, Maduro moved the head of the national guard to a new position looking after security in the capital, part of a reshuffle that brought several more military figures into his cabinet. The government is investigating troops involved in Monday's incident. "I have ordered an investigation to see if there was a conspiracy behind this," Maduro said earlier on Thursday, saying the men involved in Monday's shooting had been detained. (Reuters)

Venezuelan troops fire on protesters at airbase, 1 killed

Venezuela&#39;s President Nicolas Maduro pledged on Thursday to hold a referendum on a new constitution he has proposed to try and quell two months of anti-government unrest that has killed at least 62 people.

His comments came after criticism from opponents and some within his own government that his plan to create a new super-body, known as a constituent assembly, to rewrite the national charter was anti-democratic.

Chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega had said creating the assembly without a plebiscite, as happened in 1999 when Maduro&#39;s predecessor Hugo Chavez rewrote the constitution, threatened to &quot;eliminate&quot; democracy in Venezuela.&nbsp;

Maduro said on state television: &quot;I shall propose it explicitly: the new constitution will go to a consultative referendum so it is the people who say whether they are in agreement or not with the new, strengthened constitution.&quot;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/street-clashes-continue-in-venezuela-as-president-aims-to-reform-constitution-248">See: The&nbsp;Venezuela unrest in pictures</a>

There was no immediate reaction from Venezuela&#39;s opposition, which now has majority support after years in the shadow of the ruling Socialist Party whose popularity has plunged during the OPEC nation`s brutal economic crisis.

Foes are likely to try and turn any referendum into a vote on Maduro himself. They have been calling for the next presidential election, slated for late 2018, to be brought forward.

The government has said elections for the new constituent assembly will be held in late July, although opposition leaders say the process is skewed to ensure a pro-Maduro majority.

There was no word on when the plebiscite would be held.

Earlier, authorities announced that gunmen had killed a judge involved in the sentencing of Venezuela&#39;s best-known jailed political leader, Leopoldo Lopez.

The judge, 37-year-old Nelson Moncada, was shot and stripped of his belongings as he tried to get away from a street barricade on Wednesday night in Caracas&#39;&nbsp;El Paraiso district, the scene of regular clashes, the prosecutor`s office said.

This week has seen widespread violence around the Venezuelan capital, with security forces repeatedly breaking up marches by opposition supporters towards government offices downtown, and skirmishes continuing into the night.&nbsp;

&#39;Democracy being eliminated&#39;

Protesters frequently block roads with trash and burning tires, sometimes asking passers-by for contributions towards a self-styled &quot;Resistance&quot; movement against Maduro.

El Paraiso has seen nightly clashes between demonstrators, pro-government gangs and National Guard soldiers.&nbsp;

The government said Moncada was one of the judges who ratified Lopez&#39;s 14-year jail sentence, and suggested that might have been the motive for his killing.&nbsp;

&quot;We cannot exclude the possibility this was done by hitmen hired by right-wing terrorists to keep creating and spreading terror,&quot; Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said, referring to Venezuela&#39;s opposition.

Victims from two months of unrest have included supporters on both sides, bystanders and members of the security forces.&nbsp;

The latest death came in Lara state, where 46-year-old Maria Rodriguez was shot during a demonstration on Thursday, the state prosecutor&#39;s office said, without giving more details.

Maduro, 54, calls his opponents coup-mongers seeking his violent overthrow with U.S. support akin to the short-lived ouster of his predecessor Hugo Chavez in 2002.&nbsp;

Ortega, the chief prosecutor, launched a blistering attack on Maduro from the steps of the pro-government Supreme Court, criticizing its ruling this week endorsing the assembly plan.&nbsp;

&quot;It seems that participative and protagonistic democracy, which cost Venezuelans so much (to get), is being eliminated,&quot; said Ortega, who broke with Maduro a few weeks ago.

&quot;This sentence is a backward step for human rights,&quot; she added, before reading extracts from a past Chavez speech. 
In further political drama, the Supreme Court ordered opposition leader Henrique Capriles on Thursday to avoid roadblocks in the Miranda state that he governs, or face jail.&nbsp;

Miranda includes part of the capital, Caracas, and the volatile towns of San Antonio de Los Altos and Los Teques, where anti-government street barricades have been common.&nbsp;

Capriles, a 44-year-old lawyer, narrowly lost a 2013 vote to Maduro after Chavez&#39;s death from cancer and has been at the forefront of this year&#39;s protests, calling for civil disobedience.&nbsp;

Authorities have already barred Capriles from running for new political posts for 15 years, over allegations of &quot;administrative irregularities&quot; that he denies, potentially hobbling another bid to run in 2018.

(Reuters)

There is no word on when the plebiscite will be held

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro pledged on Thursday to hold a referendum on a new constitution he has proposed to try and quell two months of anti-government unrest that has killed at least 62 people. His comments came after criticism from opponents and some within his own government that his plan to create a new super-body, known as a constituent assembly, to rewrite the national charter was anti-democratic. Chief state prosecutor Luisa Ortega had said creating the assembly without a plebiscite, as happened in 1999 when Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chavez rewrote the constitution, threatened to "eliminate" democracy in Venezuela. Maduro said on state television: "I shall propose it explicitly: the new constitution will go to a consultative referendum so it is the people who say whether they are in agreement or not with the new, strengthened constitution." See: The Venezuela unrest in pictures There was no immediate reaction from Venezuela's opposition, which now has majority support after years in the shadow of the ruling Socialist Party whose popularity has plunged during the OPEC nation`s brutal economic crisis. Foes are likely to try and turn any referendum into a vote on Maduro himself. They have been calling for the next presidential election, slated for late 2018, to be brought forward. The government has said elections for the new constituent assembly will be held in late July, although opposition leaders say the process is skewed to ensure a pro-Maduro majority. There was no word on when the plebiscite would be held. Earlier, authorities announced that gunmen had killed a judge involved in the sentencing of Venezuela's best-known jailed political leader, Leopoldo Lopez. The judge, 37-year-old Nelson Moncada, was shot and stripped of his belongings as he tried to get away from a street barricade on Wednesday night in Caracas' El Paraiso district, the scene of regular clashes, the prosecutor`s office said. This week has seen widespread violence around the Venezuelan capital, with security forces repeatedly breaking up marches by opposition supporters towards government offices downtown, and skirmishes continuing into the night. 'Democracy being eliminated' Protesters frequently block roads with trash and burning tires, sometimes asking passers-by for contributions towards a self-styled "Resistance" movement against Maduro. El Paraiso has seen nightly clashes between demonstrators, pro-government gangs and National Guard soldiers. The government said Moncada was one of the judges who ratified Lopez's 14-year jail sentence, and suggested that might have been the motive for his killing. "We cannot exclude the possibility this was done by hitmen hired by right-wing terrorists to keep creating and spreading terror," Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said, referring to Venezuela's opposition. Victims from two months of unrest have included supporters on both sides, bystanders and members of the security forces. The latest death came in Lara state, where 46-year-old Maria Rodriguez was shot during a demonstration on Thursday, the state prosecutor's office said, without giving more details. Maduro, 54, calls his opponents coup-mongers seeking his violent overthrow with U.S. support akin to the short-lived ouster of his predecessor Hugo Chavez in 2002. Ortega, the chief prosecutor, launched a blistering attack on Maduro from the steps of the pro-government Supreme Court, criticizing its ruling this week endorsing the assembly plan. "It seems that participative and protagonistic democracy, which cost Venezuelans so much (to get), is being eliminated," said Ortega, who broke with Maduro a few weeks ago. "This sentence is a backward step for human rights," she added, before reading extracts from a past Chavez speech. In further political drama, the Supreme Court ordered opposition leader Henrique Capriles on Thursday to avoid roadblocks in the Miranda state that he governs, or face jail. Miranda includes part of the capital, Caracas, and the volatile towns of San Antonio de Los Altos and Los Teques, where anti-government street barricades have been common. Capriles, a 44-year-old lawyer, narrowly lost a 2013 vote to Maduro after Chavez's death from cancer and has been at the forefront of this year's protests, calling for civil disobedience. Authorities have already barred Capriles from running for new political posts for 15 years, over allegations of "administrative irregularities" that he denies, potentially hobbling another bid to run in 2018. (Reuters)

Venezuela: President Maduro vows referendum, death toll from unrest hits 62

Courier services have told customers that the Venezuelan customs authority has banned them from importing items such as gas masks, slingshots and bulletproof vests used by some demonstrators in anti-government protests.

Other prohibited items include first aid supplies such as burn cream and gauze, according to emailed messages sent to clients this week by the package delivery companies. These goods have been used to treat injured protestors.

Courier services sending the advisories included local service Zoom and the Venezuela office of Mail Boxes Etc, known as MBE.

Another company, BVA Export, told clients in an email, &quot;It is not allowed to send gas masks and items that can be used for defense and/or attack in the Venezuelan protests.&quot; It included a detailed list of the products that it said had been banned.

There was no immediate response by the companies to requests for comment.

Government officials have publicly accused the opposition of using courier services to equip demonstrators in nearly two months of near-daily clashes with security forces.

Referring to unidentified courier services, Jose Cabello, head of Venezuela&#39;s tax and customs agency Seniat, said in a statement early this week that, &quot;(The opposition) will not use the ports of our country as a bridge to arm their terrorist groups.&quot;

The Seniat and the Information Ministry on Saturday did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the courier services&#39; notifications of the banned imports.

President Nicolas Maduro calls the protests a violent effort to overthrow his government, and he insists the country victim of an &quot;economic war&quot; led by adversaries with the help of Washington.

The demonstrations have killed at least 58 people so far. Protesters routinely spend hours in clashes with National Guard troops and police, who disperse them and break up improvised barricades with a combination of tear gas, rubber bullets and armored vehicles.

Most protesters do not have gas masks and instead seek to abate the effects of tear gas with improvised solutions such as rubbing anti-acid liquid on their faces.

Courier services are primarily used by Venezuelans to buy goods such as food and medicine that are not available due to the chronic product shortages that now characterise the OPEC nation&#39;s once-prosperous economy.

Members of Venezuela&#39;s growing diaspora in countries such as the United States and Panama also use courier services to ship supplies to family back home.

(Reuters)

As violent protests grip the country, the government has also apparently banned goods used by demonstrators for treating injuries

Courier services have told customers that the Venezuelan customs authority has banned them from importing items such as gas masks, slingshots and bulletproof vests used by some demonstrators in anti-government protests. Other prohibited items include first aid supplies such as burn cream and gauze, according to emailed messages sent to clients this week by the package delivery companies. These goods have been used to treat injured protestors. Courier services sending the advisories included local service Zoom and the Venezuela office of Mail Boxes Etc, known as MBE. Another company, BVA Export, told clients in an email, "It is not allowed to send gas masks and items that can be used for defense and/or attack in the Venezuelan protests." It included a detailed list of the products that it said had been banned. There was no immediate response by the companies to requests for comment. Government officials have publicly accused the opposition of using courier services to equip demonstrators in nearly two months of near-daily clashes with security forces. Referring to unidentified courier services, Jose Cabello, head of Venezuela's tax and customs agency Seniat, said in a statement early this week that, "(The opposition) will not use the ports of our country as a bridge to arm their terrorist groups." The Seniat and the Information Ministry on Saturday did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the courier services' notifications of the banned imports. President Nicolas Maduro calls the protests a violent effort to overthrow his government, and he insists the country victim of an "economic war" led by adversaries with the help of Washington. The demonstrations have killed at least 58 people so far. Protesters routinely spend hours in clashes with National Guard troops and police, who disperse them and break up improvised barricades with a combination of tear gas, rubber bullets and armored vehicles. Most protesters do not have gas masks and instead seek to abate the effects of tear gas with improvised solutions such as rubbing anti-acid liquid on their faces. Courier services are primarily used by Venezuelans to buy goods such as food and medicine that are not available due to the chronic product shortages that now characterise the OPEC nation's once-prosperous economy. Members of Venezuela's growing diaspora in countries such as the United States and Panama also use courier services to ship supplies to family back home. (Reuters)

Venezuela bans imports of gas masks, bulletproof vests: Courier services

Doctors rallied in Venezuela Monday in the latest street protests against President Nicolas Maduro, as a young man lay in hospital after being set on fire by an angry crowd.

Three people were killed in violent riots in late president Hugo Chavez&#39;s home state of Barinas, bringing the death toll to 51 as the unrest entered its eighth week, the public prosecution service said.

One of the victims was a 19-year-old man who died from gunshot wounds. An AFP reporter saw demonstrators burn a government office and a police car in the western town of Barinas in the state of the same name.

Fresh clashes also broke out between protesters and police on the outskirts of Caracas, where demonstrators blocked streets with barricades.

After marches by various civil groups, it was the turn of the Venezuelan Medical Federation to vent its frustrations in the streets.

About 20,000 thousand of its sympathisers marched towards the health ministry in Caracas. Police fired tear gas to drive them back, in scenes that have become familiar after weeks of unrest.

&quot;The country is verging on catastrophe. The health system is a disaster,&quot; said Fernando Gudayol, a 50-year-old surgeon.

&quot;One is always afraid to come out, but we will carry on doing it until there is a change.&quot;

&nbsp;

Pro-government counter-rally

The opposition is demanding elections to remove Maduro from power. They blame him for an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food, medicine and basic supplies.

&quot;A simple infection can turn into something serious for a lack of antibiotics and any kind of supplies, and for a lack of maintenance of the equipment,&quot; said Eliecer Melear, a 41-year-old urologist.

Maduro&#39;s supporters staged a counter-demonstration near the presidential palace.

&quot;What lack of medicine?&quot; asked medical student Rangel Vegas, 31. &quot;We are in the streets and in the clinics giving a response to what communities need.&quot;

Maduro&#39;s government repeated its claim that it was targeted by an international conspiracy. The government side &quot;is the victim of political and ideological persecution in Venezuela and internationally,&quot; Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez told a news conference.

Maduro earlier called for a further &quot;march for peace&quot; on Tuesday.

&nbsp;

Man set alight

Maduro accuses the opposition of plotting a coup against him with US backing. He says the crisis is a capitalist conspiracy.

The government and opposition accuse each other of sending armed groups to sow violence in the demonstrations.

On Sunday, a man was beaten, doused in petrol and set alight during a protest in the capital Caracas.

The government alleged he was attacked for being a Maduro supporter. Speaking on television, the president identified the man as Orlando Figuera, 21.

He said Figuera was hospitalised with first- and second-degree burns over half of his body and six knife wounds.

- Opposition risks &#39;losing steam&#39; -

Elected in 2013, Maduro has resisted opposition efforts to remove him since January 2016.

He has said there will be presidential elections as scheduled next year, but not before.

Instead, he has angered the opposition by seeking constitutional reforms, which his rivals say aim to strengthen his grip on power.

Maduro retains the public backing of the military and control of most state institutions.

Street protests and international pressure &quot;could lead to divisions within the government or within the armed forces or between the government and the armed forces,&quot; said David Smilde, a Venezuela expert at the Washington Office on Latin America, a nongovernmental organisation.

But he added: &quot;It is hard to keep protest waves going. People have to work, study, eat and live their lives. The opposition needs to think about how to consolidate their gains. Otherwise, this movement too could lose steam.&quot;

(AFP)

The death toll has reached 51 after eight weeks of unrest as the country wrestles with economic turmoil

Doctors rallied in Venezuela Monday in the latest street protests against President Nicolas Maduro, as a young man lay in hospital after being set on fire by an angry crowd. Three people were killed in violent riots in late president Hugo Chavez's home state of Barinas, bringing the death toll to 51 as the unrest entered its eighth week, the public prosecution service said. One of the victims was a 19-year-old man who died from gunshot wounds. An AFP reporter saw demonstrators burn a government office and a police car in the western town of Barinas in the state of the same name. Fresh clashes also broke out between protesters and police on the outskirts of Caracas, where demonstrators blocked streets with barricades. After marches by various civil groups, it was the turn of the Venezuelan Medical Federation to vent its frustrations in the streets. About 20,000 thousand of its sympathisers marched towards the health ministry in Caracas. Police fired tear gas to drive them back, in scenes that have become familiar after weeks of unrest. "The country is verging on catastrophe. The health system is a disaster," said Fernando Gudayol, a 50-year-old surgeon. "One is always afraid to come out, but we will carry on doing it until there is a change." Pro-government counter-rally The opposition is demanding elections to remove Maduro from power. They blame him for an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food, medicine and basic supplies. "A simple infection can turn into something serious for a lack of antibiotics and any kind of supplies, and for a lack of maintenance of the equipment," said Eliecer Melear, a 41-year-old urologist. Maduro's supporters staged a counter-demonstration near the presidential palace. "What lack of medicine?" asked medical student Rangel Vegas, 31. "We are in the streets and in the clinics giving a response to what communities need." Maduro's government repeated its claim that it was targeted by an international conspiracy. The government side "is the victim of political and ideological persecution in Venezuela and internationally," Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez told a news conference. Maduro earlier called for a further "march for peace" on Tuesday. Man set alight Maduro accuses the opposition of plotting a coup against him with US backing. He says the crisis is a capitalist conspiracy. The government and opposition accuse each other of sending armed groups to sow violence in the demonstrations. On Sunday, a man was beaten, doused in petrol and set alight during a protest in the capital Caracas. The government alleged he was attacked for being a Maduro supporter. Speaking on television, the president identified the man as Orlando Figuera, 21. He said Figuera was hospitalised with first- and second-degree burns over half of his body and six knife wounds. - Opposition risks 'losing steam' - Elected in 2013, Maduro has resisted opposition efforts to remove him since January 2016. He has said there will be presidential elections as scheduled next year, but not before. Instead, he has angered the opposition by seeking constitutional reforms, which his rivals say aim to strengthen his grip on power. Maduro retains the public backing of the military and control of most state institutions. Street protests and international pressure "could lead to divisions within the government or within the armed forces or between the government and the armed forces," said David Smilde, a Venezuela expert at the Washington Office on Latin America, a nongovernmental organisation. But he added: "It is hard to keep protest waves going. People have to work, study, eat and live their lives. The opposition needs to think about how to consolidate their gains. Otherwise, this movement too could lose steam." (AFP)

Fresh Venezuela clashes after man set alight

The death toll in three weeks of violence at anti-government protests in Venezuela jumped to 20 people Friday after a night of clashes and pillaging left 12 people dead in Caracas.

Riot police and pro-government vigilantes fought running battles with protesters demanding the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro on the capital&#39;s east, west and south sides, witnesses said.

&quot;It was like a war,&quot; said 33-year-old construction worker Carlos Yanez, a resident of the southwestern district of El Valle.

&quot;The police were firing tear gas, armed civilians were shooting guns at buildings. My family and I threw ourselves to the floor. It was horrible,&quot; he told AFP.

Eleven people were killed in the neighborhood, according to officials.

Eight of them were reportedly electrocuted while trying to loot a bakery amid the chaos. The rest were shot.

The opposition accuses the government of sending gangs of armed thugs to attack them.

Videos shot by El Valle residents showed people throwing bottles and other objects out their windows at the gunmen in the streets below, shouting &quot;Murderers!&quot;

At one point, street protesters hurling Molotov cocktails managed to set fire to one of the armored police trucks firing tear gas at them, lighting up the night sky.

Fifty-four people, including newborn babies, were evacuated from a maternity hospital in the neighborhood.

There were conflicting explanations about the reason.

The government said &quot;armed gangs hired by the opposition&quot; had attacked the hospital. The opposition rejected the allegation, saying the children had to be evacuated because of tear gas fired by Maduro&#39;s &quot;dictatorship.&quot;

The hospital&#39;s director, Rosalinda Prieto, told AFP the evacuation was prompted by the stench of burning trash that had been set on fire by protesters.

Unrest and looting also erupted in several other neighborhoods.

A man was shot dead in protests in the eastern neighborhood of Petare, the local mayor said. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation.

More protests planned&nbsp;

There was a heavy security presence Friday in the capital, as residents and workers cleaned up the destruction left by the clashes and looting.

Groups of hungry people, including children, scavenged for food amid the wreckage in El Valle.

The two sides looked set to spend the day regrouping after massive protests Wednesday and Thursday erupted into unrest in the flashpoint western city of San Cristobal and several other cities.

Opposition leaders have called new protests for Saturday and Monday.

On Saturday, they plan to march in silence to the Catholic Church&#39;s episcopal seats nationwide. They plan to erect roadblocks on Monday to grind the country to a halt.

Maduro a &#39;mythomaniac&#39;: Capriles&nbsp;

Protesters blame Maduro -- heir of the leftist &quot;Bolivarian revolution&quot; launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999 -- for an economic crisis marked by severe shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

Maduro says the protests against him are part of a US-backed coup plot.&nbsp;

On Thursday, he said the opposition had agreed to new talks. But his opponents denied the claim, saying the only way forward was to call elections.

Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles slammed Maduro as a &quot;dictator&quot; and &quot;mythomaniac.&quot;

&#39;The country is calm&#39;&nbsp;

Pressure on Maduro has been mounting since 2014, as falling prices for Venezuela&#39;s crucial oil exports have sent the once-booming economy into a tailspin.

The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court moved to seize the powers of the legislature, the only lever of state authority not controlled by Maduro and his allies.

The court partly backtracked after an international outcry, but tension only increased when the authorities slapped a political ban on Capriles on April 7.

The ruling Socialist party accused the opposition of sowing violence to chase headlines.

&quot;These delinquents want to make people believe Venezuela is in chaos. The country is calm,&quot; said Freddy Bernal, a party leader.

According to pollster Venebarometro, seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019.

(AFP)

A night of clashes and pillaging left 12 people dead in Caracas as anti-Maduro demonstrations intensify

The death toll in three weeks of violence at anti-government protests in Venezuela jumped to 20 people Friday after a night of clashes and pillaging left 12 people dead in Caracas. Riot police and pro-government vigilantes fought running battles with protesters demanding the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro on the capital's east, west and south sides, witnesses said. "It was like a war," said 33-year-old construction worker Carlos Yanez, a resident of the southwestern district of El Valle. "The police were firing tear gas, armed civilians were shooting guns at buildings. My family and I threw ourselves to the floor. It was horrible," he told AFP. Eleven people were killed in the neighborhood, according to officials. Eight of them were reportedly electrocuted while trying to loot a bakery amid the chaos. The rest were shot. The opposition accuses the government of sending gangs of armed thugs to attack them. Videos shot by El Valle residents showed people throwing bottles and other objects out their windows at the gunmen in the streets below, shouting "Murderers!" At one point, street protesters hurling Molotov cocktails managed to set fire to one of the armored police trucks firing tear gas at them, lighting up the night sky. Fifty-four people, including newborn babies, were evacuated from a maternity hospital in the neighborhood. There were conflicting explanations about the reason. The government said "armed gangs hired by the opposition" had attacked the hospital. The opposition rejected the allegation, saying the children had to be evacuated because of tear gas fired by Maduro's "dictatorship." The hospital's director, Rosalinda Prieto, told AFP the evacuation was prompted by the stench of burning trash that had been set on fire by protesters. Unrest and looting also erupted in several other neighborhoods. A man was shot dead in protests in the eastern neighborhood of Petare, the local mayor said. Prosecutors said they had opened an investigation. More protests planned There was a heavy security presence Friday in the capital, as residents and workers cleaned up the destruction left by the clashes and looting. Groups of hungry people, including children, scavenged for food amid the wreckage in El Valle. The two sides looked set to spend the day regrouping after massive protests Wednesday and Thursday erupted into unrest in the flashpoint western city of San Cristobal and several other cities. Opposition leaders have called new protests for Saturday and Monday. On Saturday, they plan to march in silence to the Catholic Church's episcopal seats nationwide. They plan to erect roadblocks on Monday to grind the country to a halt. Maduro a 'mythomaniac': Capriles Protesters blame Maduro -- heir of the leftist "Bolivarian revolution" launched by the late Hugo Chavez in 1999 -- for an economic crisis marked by severe shortages of food, medicine and basic goods. Maduro says the protests against him are part of a US-backed coup plot. On Thursday, he said the opposition had agreed to new talks. But his opponents denied the claim, saying the only way forward was to call elections. Senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles slammed Maduro as a "dictator" and "mythomaniac." 'The country is calm' Pressure on Maduro has been mounting since 2014, as falling prices for Venezuela's crucial oil exports have sent the once-booming economy into a tailspin. The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court moved to seize the powers of the legislature, the only lever of state authority not controlled by Maduro and his allies. The court partly backtracked after an international outcry, but tension only increased when the authorities slapped a political ban on Capriles on April 7. The ruling Socialist party accused the opposition of sowing violence to chase headlines. "These delinquents want to make people believe Venezuela is in chaos. The country is calm," said Freddy Bernal, a party leader. According to pollster Venebarometro, seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019. (AFP)

Death toll spirals as Venezuela protests rumble on

Two people were killed Wednesday in Venezuela as opposition-led protests against President Nicolas Maduro rocked the country.

A 17-year-old boy died after being shot by&nbsp;an unidentified man on a motorcycle in the head, witnesses said.

A woman of 23 was shot dead in western Venezuela on Wednesday, the second person killed during a day of anti-government protests, prosecutors and a non-governmental group said.

&quot;She was shot in the head,&quot; a source in the public prosecutors&#39; service told AFP. Non-government rights group Provea said the woman died &quot;in the context of the demonstrations&quot; that erupted across the country.

Violence erupted when thousands of opposition protesters tried to march on central Caracas, a pro-government bastion where red-clad Maduro supporters were massing for a counter-demonstration.

The marchers were forced back by lines of soldiers and police deployed to contain what the opposition vowed would be the &quot;mother of all protests.&quot;

The opposition has repeatedly accused the government of sending groups of armed thugs to attack protesters. The security forces do nothing to stop them and themselves repress peaceful protesters, opponents say.

Authorities had already reported five other people killed, including a boy of 13, in protests around the country earlier this month.

Turning point

This is the largest day of demonstrations in more than two weeks of violent protests that have seen more than 200 arrested.

Moves by Maduro to tighten his grip on power have escalated the country&#39;s political and economic crisis.

Pressure on the leftist leader has been mounting since 2014, as falling prices for Venezuela&#39;s crucial oil exports have aggravated an economic crisis, creating severe shortages of food and medicine in the state-led economy.

The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court tried to take over the powers of the National Assembly, the only lever of government Maduro and his allies do not control.

The court partly backtracked after an international outcry, but the tension only increased when authorities slapped a political ban on opposition leader Henrique Capriles on April 7.

Those events have galvanized the often divided opposition in its efforts to force Maduro from power.

&quot;We have to end this dictatorship. We&#39;re fed up. We want elections to get Maduro out, because he&#39;s destroyed this country,&quot; said protester Ingrid Chacon, a 54-year-old secretary.

The president in turn has urged his supporters, the military, and civilian militias to defend the socialist &quot;revolution&quot; launched by his predecessor Hugo Chavez in 1999.

Hour of combat

The centre-right opposition has called for the military -- a pillar of Maduro&#39;s power -- to abandon him.

&quot;It is the moment for the armed forces to demonstrate that they are with the constitution and with the people,&quot; legislative speaker Julio Borges said Tuesday.

But the defence minister, General Vladimir Padrino Lopez, has pledged the army&#39;s &quot;unconditional loyalty,&quot; while Maduro blasted Borges for inciting a &quot;coup&quot;.

The president has sought to rally his troops this week, sending the army into the streets and ordering pro-government militias to be expanded to half a million members, &quot;each with a rifle.&quot;

&quot;The hour of combat has arrived,&quot; Maduro said.

On Tuesday night he activated a military, police and civilian operation called the &quot;Zamora Plan&quot; aimed at combatting a supposed coup attempt -- which the president says is being orchestrated by Venezuela&#39;s opposition and the United States.

Region on edge

In Latin America, where other governments are increasingly alarmed by Venezuela&#39;s instability, 11 countries including Brazil, Mexico and Chile issued a statement Monday condemning the deaths of protesters and urging the security forces to show restraint.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner echoed that call, urging the security forces to &quot;protect, not prevent, peaceful demonstrations.&quot;

Maduro, speaking at a meeting with high-ranking political and military officials Tuesday, denounced that as a &quot;green light (for) a coup.&quot;

According to a survey by pollster Venebarometro, seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019.

(AFP)

Opposition termed Wednesday's protest as the largest in more than two weeks of demonstrations against President Maduro

Two people were killed Wednesday in Venezuela as opposition-led protests against President Nicolas Maduro rocked the country. A 17-year-old boy died after being shot by an unidentified man on a motorcycle in the head, witnesses said. A woman of 23 was shot dead in western Venezuela on Wednesday, the second person killed during a day of anti-government protests, prosecutors and a non-governmental group said. "She was shot in the head," a source in the public prosecutors' service told AFP. Non-government rights group Provea said the woman died "in the context of the demonstrations" that erupted across the country. Violence erupted when thousands of opposition protesters tried to march on central Caracas, a pro-government bastion where red-clad Maduro supporters were massing for a counter-demonstration. The marchers were forced back by lines of soldiers and police deployed to contain what the opposition vowed would be the "mother of all protests." The opposition has repeatedly accused the government of sending groups of armed thugs to attack protesters. The security forces do nothing to stop them and themselves repress peaceful protesters, opponents say. Authorities had already reported five other people killed, including a boy of 13, in protests around the country earlier this month. Turning point This is the largest day of demonstrations in more than two weeks of violent protests that have seen more than 200 arrested. Moves by Maduro to tighten his grip on power have escalated the country's political and economic crisis. Pressure on the leftist leader has been mounting since 2014, as falling prices for Venezuela's crucial oil exports have aggravated an economic crisis, creating severe shortages of food and medicine in the state-led economy. The crisis escalated on March 30, when the Supreme Court tried to take over the powers of the National Assembly, the only lever of government Maduro and his allies do not control. The court partly backtracked after an international outcry, but the tension only increased when authorities slapped a political ban on opposition leader Henrique Capriles on April 7. Those events have galvanized the often divided opposition in its efforts to force Maduro from power. "We have to end this dictatorship. We're fed up. We want elections to get Maduro out, because he's destroyed this country," said protester Ingrid Chacon, a 54-year-old secretary. The president in turn has urged his supporters, the military, and civilian militias to defend the socialist "revolution" launched by his predecessor Hugo Chavez in 1999. Hour of combat The centre-right opposition has called for the military -- a pillar of Maduro's power -- to abandon him. "It is the moment for the armed forces to demonstrate that they are with the constitution and with the people," legislative speaker Julio Borges said Tuesday. But the defence minister, General Vladimir Padrino Lopez, has pledged the army's "unconditional loyalty," while Maduro blasted Borges for inciting a "coup". The president has sought to rally his troops this week, sending the army into the streets and ordering pro-government militias to be expanded to half a million members, "each with a rifle." "The hour of combat has arrived," Maduro said. On Tuesday night he activated a military, police and civilian operation called the "Zamora Plan" aimed at combatting a supposed coup attempt -- which the president says is being orchestrated by Venezuela's opposition and the United States. Region on edge In Latin America, where other governments are increasingly alarmed by Venezuela's instability, 11 countries including Brazil, Mexico and Chile issued a statement Monday condemning the deaths of protesters and urging the security forces to show restraint. US State Department spokesman Mark Toner echoed that call, urging the security forces to "protect, not prevent, peaceful demonstrations." Maduro, speaking at a meeting with high-ranking political and military officials Tuesday, denounced that as a "green light (for) a coup." According to a survey by pollster Venebarometro, seven in 10 Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro, whose term does not end until 2019. (AFP)

Venezuela: Two killed amid opposition-backed protests against President Maduro

Venezuela&#39;s President Nicolas Maduro was subjected to a withering criticism from the country&#39;s attorney general for his successful attempt at enhancing his own powers.

Two days back, the Supreme Court took over the National Assembly -- the only pillar of power that was not under the control of the president and allies.

The takeover meant that the opposition-majority legislature was emasculated and also exposed lawmakers to prosecution, a move that has sparked nationwide protests.

Attorney general Luisa Ortega -- a staunch loyal to the socialist &quot;revolution&quot; launched in&nbsp;Venezuela&nbsp;by Maduro&#39;s mentor Hugo Chavez in 1999 -- went on the country&#39;s state television channel to launch a scathing broadside against the president.

&quot;It is my duty to inform my country of my deep concern over these events,&quot; said Ortega, drawing a long salvo of applause from the crowd.

She delivered her remarks while brandishing a copy of what she referred to as &quot;Chavez&#39;s constitution,&quot; adopted the year the late leftist firebrand came to power.

She also dubbed the dissolution of National Assembly as a &quot;rupture of constitutional order&quot;.

Later, Maduro reacted to the volley of attacks, saying: &quot;In&nbsp;Venezuela, the constitution, civil, political and human rights and people power are in full force.&quot;

The criticism was delivered on state television which is largely controlled by the government.

The attack on Maduro comes as protests entered its second day, with students getting clashing with soldiers and some protesters blocking streets.

Two students and a journalist were arrested, activists said.

International condemnation continued pouring in, adding to the criticism already voiced by the United States, the European Union, Spain, Germany and a host of Latin American countries.

Colombia recalled its ambassador to&nbsp;Venezuela, joining Chile and Peru.

On Friday the six members of the Union of South American Nations in a statement called &quot;for the swift restoration of democratic order in the country for the good of the whole Venezuelan people.&quot;

Many have said the Supreme Court&#39;s move amounts to a coup.

Venezuela&nbsp;rejected that accusation Friday, lashing out at its critics as &quot;imperialists.&quot;

The head of the Organization of American States called for the regional group&#39;s permanent council to hold crisis talks on the situation.

South American regional bloc Mercosur -- which suspended&nbsp;Venezuela&nbsp;in December -- will also hold crisis talks Saturday, Argentina announced.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

&nbsp;

The country's attorney general dubbed the dissolution of the legislature as a 'rupture of constitutional order'

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro was subjected to a withering criticism from the country's attorney general for his successful attempt at enhancing his own powers. Two days back, the Supreme Court took over the National Assembly -- the only pillar of power that was not under the control of the president and allies. The takeover meant that the opposition-majority legislature was emasculated and also exposed lawmakers to prosecution, a move that has sparked nationwide protests. Attorney general Luisa Ortega -- a staunch loyal to the socialist "revolution" launched in Venezuela by Maduro's mentor Hugo Chavez in 1999 -- went on the country's state television channel to launch a scathing broadside against the president. "It is my duty to inform my country of my deep concern over these events," said Ortega, drawing a long salvo of applause from the crowd. She delivered her remarks while brandishing a copy of what she referred to as "Chavez's constitution," adopted the year the late leftist firebrand came to power. She also dubbed the dissolution of National Assembly as a "rupture of constitutional order". Later, Maduro reacted to the volley of attacks, saying: "In Venezuela, the constitution, civil, political and human rights and people power are in full force." The criticism was delivered on state television which is largely controlled by the government. The attack on Maduro comes as protests entered its second day, with students getting clashing with soldiers and some protesters blocking streets. Two students and a journalist were arrested, activists said. International condemnation continued pouring in, adding to the criticism already voiced by the United States, the European Union, Spain, Germany and a host of Latin American countries. Colombia recalled its ambassador to Venezuela, joining Chile and Peru. On Friday the six members of the Union of South American Nations in a statement called "for the swift restoration of democratic order in the country for the good of the whole Venezuelan people." Many have said the Supreme Court's move amounts to a coup. Venezuela rejected that accusation Friday, lashing out at its critics as "imperialists." The head of the Organization of American States called for the regional group's permanent council to hold crisis talks on the situation. South American regional bloc Mercosur -- which suspended Venezuela in December -- will also hold crisis talks Saturday, Argentina announced. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Venezuelan president under severe attack over alleged power grab

Venezuela reopened Tuesday a border crossing with Colombia that it had closed as part of a messy crackdown on what it called currency hoarders.

A pedestrian crossing over the Simon Bolivar Bridge -- joining the cities of San Antonio in Venezuela and Cucuta in Colombia -- reopened after a telephone conversation between the countries&#39; presidents Monday night, according to Venezuelan information minister Ernesto Villegas.

The crossing had been closed since December 12 as part of a currency reform that involved removing the 100-bolivar note from circulation.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro argued that &quot;mafias&quot; abroad were hoarding it to try to suffocate the Venezuelan economy. The border with Brazil was also closed.

But looting and clashes broke out over the weekend as many people were left without cash. At least three people were reported killed.

Maduro eventually reversed course and said the currency will remain legal tender until January 2 while new, higher denomination bills are printed and circulated.&nbsp;

(AFP)

The crossing had been closed since December 12 as part of a currency reform that involved removing the 100-bolivar note from circulation

Venezuela reopened Tuesday a border crossing with Colombia that it had closed as part of a messy crackdown on what it called currency hoarders. A pedestrian crossing over the Simon Bolivar Bridge -- joining the cities of San Antonio in Venezuela and Cucuta in Colombia -- reopened after a telephone conversation between the countries' presidents Monday night, according to Venezuelan information minister Ernesto Villegas. The crossing had been closed since December 12 as part of a currency reform that involved removing the 100-bolivar note from circulation. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro argued that "mafias" abroad were hoarding it to try to suffocate the Venezuelan economy. The border with Brazil was also closed. But looting and clashes broke out over the weekend as many people were left without cash. At least three people were reported killed. Maduro eventually reversed course and said the currency will remain legal tender until January 2 while new, higher denomination bills are printed and circulated. (AFP)

Venezuela reopens border crossing with Colombia

Venezuelans lined up on Thursday to deposit 100-unit banknotes before they turned worthless, but replacement bills had yet to arrive, increasing the cash chaos in the country with the world&#39;s highest inflation.

Some frustrated customers received expiring 100-bolivar notes when they withdrew money at ATMs, then immediately had to line up again to re-deposit them.

Venezuelans are stuck in currency limbo after President Nicolas Maduro ordered the 100-bolivar note, the largest denomination, currently worth about three US cents, &nbsp;removed from circulation in 72 hours.

The government announced late Thursday that Venezuela&#39;s borders with Colombia and Brazil,&nbsp;closed to fight &quot;mafias&quot; allegedly hoarding the notes, will stay shut three more days.

The Thursday deadline was supposed to coincide with the launch of a 500-bolivar bill, the first in a new series of banknotes that will eventually be issued in denominations of up to 20,000 bolivars.

But with the new bills yet to arrive in the capital Caracas by mid-day, Venezuelans were left facing economic chaos.

&quot;I don&#39;t get the joke,&quot; office worker Yarelis Carrero said. &quot;When you withdraw cash at the ATMs, they give you 100-bolivar bills. And you can&#39;t get the new ones inside the bank, either.&quot;

She woke up early to get rid of her expiring banknotes only to discover that the bills meant to replace them were nowhere to be found.

From Friday, Venezuelans will be able to exchange 100-bolivar bills only at one of the central bank&#39;s two headquarters buildings.

Maduro, who has presided over an unravelling of Venezuela&#39;s oil-rich economy, said the 100-bolivar note had to be killed because &quot;mafias&quot; were hoarding it abroad in what he called a US-backed plot to destabilise Venezuela.

In response, he sealed the borders with Colombia and Brazil, where he says much of the hoarding is happening. Now those frontiers will stay shut until Sunday.

That led to pandemonium on the border, as foreigners rushed home and Venezuelans found themselves cut off from precious supplies of food, medicine and basic goods that are in desperately short supply in Venezuela.

&nbsp;Going cashless

Central bank chief Nelson Merentes promised last week that &quot;millions and millions&quot; of new bank notes were on their way.

The new bills, which are being printed abroad, were originally meant to circulate alongside the old ones during a transition period.

But Maduro axed that plan when he issued his decree against the 100-bolivar note Sunday.

It accounted for 77 per cent of the cash in circulation in Venezuela, according to official figures.

Venezuelans had grown used to carrying around huge stacks of them for even the smallest purchases.

Now they are stuck with even bigger piles of 10-, 20- and 50-bolivar notes just as the Christmas shopping season is at its height.

Some companies have stopped dealing in cash altogether.

One of the main Caracas taxi companies now requires clients to pay for their rides in advance by electronic bank transfer.

Standing in line at the bank, customers complained there was no sign of the new banknotes arriving.

&quot;Nobody&#39;s seen them yet,&quot; Saul Bernal said. &quot;A guy I know who works for an armoured truck company said even they haven&#39;t seen them. Pure lies!&quot;

Pummeled by low oil prices, Venezuela is mired in economic crisis and crippled with the world&#39;s highest inflation rate -- set to hit 475 per cent this year, according to an IMF forecast.

Maduro&#39;s popularity has plunged amid the turmoil, but the fractured opposition has so far failed to force the leftist leader to relinquish his grip on power.

&nbsp;

(AFP)

Venezuelans are stuck in currency limbo after President?Maduro ordered?removal of 100-bolivar note from circulation in 72 hours

Venezuelans lined up on Thursday to deposit 100-unit banknotes before they turned worthless, but replacement bills had yet to arrive, increasing the cash chaos in the country with the world's highest inflation. Some frustrated customers received expiring 100-bolivar notes when they withdrew money at ATMs, then immediately had to line up again to re-deposit them. Venezuelans are stuck in currency limbo after President Nicolas Maduro ordered the 100-bolivar note, the largest denomination, currently worth about three US cents, removed from circulation in 72 hours. The government announced late Thursday that Venezuela's borders with Colombia and Brazil, closed to fight "mafias" allegedly hoarding the notes, will stay shut three more days. The Thursday deadline was supposed to coincide with the launch of a 500-bolivar bill, the first in a new series of banknotes that will eventually be issued in denominations of up to 20,000 bolivars. But with the new bills yet to arrive in the capital Caracas by mid-day, Venezuelans were left facing economic chaos. "I don't get the joke," office worker Yarelis Carrero said. "When you withdraw cash at the ATMs, they give you 100-bolivar bills. And you can't get the new ones inside the bank, either." She woke up early to get rid of her expiring banknotes only to discover that the bills meant to replace them were nowhere to be found. From Friday, Venezuelans will be able to exchange 100-bolivar bills only at one of the central bank's two headquarters buildings. Maduro, who has presided over an unravelling of Venezuela's oil-rich economy, said the 100-bolivar note had to be killed because "mafias" were hoarding it abroad in what he called a US-backed plot to destabilise Venezuela. In response, he sealed the borders with Colombia and Brazil, where he says much of the hoarding is happening. Now those frontiers will stay shut until Sunday. That led to pandemonium on the border, as foreigners rushed home and Venezuelans found themselves cut off from precious supplies of food, medicine and basic goods that are in desperately short supply in Venezuela. Going cashless Central bank chief Nelson Merentes promised last week that "millions and millions" of new bank notes were on their way. The new bills, which are being printed abroad, were originally meant to circulate alongside the old ones during a transition period. But Maduro axed that plan when he issued his decree against the 100-bolivar note Sunday. It accounted for 77 per cent of the cash in circulation in Venezuela, according to official figures. Venezuelans had grown used to carrying around huge stacks of them for even the smallest purchases. Now they are stuck with even bigger piles of 10-, 20- and 50-bolivar notes just as the Christmas shopping season is at its height. Some companies have stopped dealing in cash altogether. One of the main Caracas taxi companies now requires clients to pay for their rides in advance by electronic bank transfer. Standing in line at the bank, customers complained there was no sign of the new banknotes arriving. "Nobody's seen them yet," Saul Bernal said. "A guy I know who works for an armoured truck company said even they haven't seen them. Pure lies!" Pummeled by low oil prices, Venezuela is mired in economic crisis and crippled with the world's highest inflation rate -- set to hit 475 per cent this year, according to an IMF forecast. Maduro's popularity has plunged amid the turmoil, but the fractured opposition has so far failed to force the leftist leader to relinquish his grip on power. (AFP)

Cash chaos in Venezuela as replacement bills arrive late

On Sunday, President Nicolas Maduro ordered the most common bank note, the 100-bolivar unit, to be scrapped by Thursday

Venezuela's food, medicine and currency crisis now gets worse with the government deciding to put millions of bank notes out of circulation. The 100-bolivar bill is currently the highest-denomination bank note in Venezuela, but on its own it is scarcely enough to buy a piece of candy × "It's horrible, horrible. They can't do this a few days before Christmas," Perez, a middle-aged homemaker, told AFP. President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday ordered the most common bank note, the 100-bolivar unit, to be scrapped by Thursday. Some vendors have already stopped accepting the 100 bolivar notes for fear of not being able to deposit them by Thursday, AFP reported. The 100-bolivar bill is currently the highest-denomination bank note in Venezuela, a country with one of the highest rates of violent crime in the world. The new higher-denomination notes will be released from Thursday, the biggest being a 20,000 bolivar bill. Maduro scrapped the 100-bolivar bill to combat "a US-backed plot against Venezuela". He said that billions of 100-bolivar bills were stashed away by international gangs in Colombia, Brazil and even in Europe and Asia. He also ordered the Colombia border to be closed for three days, to stop the gangs depositing their hoarded banknotes, the AFP report stated. The government said on Tuesday that police had arrested 117 people and seized the equivalent of $155 million in raids on such gangs. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Venezuela also demonetises, chaos follows

Venezuela freed four activists and the opposition postponed a symbolic trial in congress of President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday even as it warned it would quit Vatican-backed talks in a matter of days if tough conditions were not met.

Maduro met with opposition leaders on Sunday for the start of talks to ease a political standoff between the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition-led parliament during a spiraling economic crisis.

As well as suspending its parliamentary proceedings against Maduro, the opposition also agreed to postpone a march planned for Thursday to the presidential palace that the government had described as part of a coup plot.

But it demanded that the government release around 100 jailed opposition activists and bring forward the next presidential election - conditions that are likely to meet with significant resistance from government leaders.

Venezuela&#39;s next presidential election is due in late 2018.

&quot;We have put these points on the table, not so that they can be addressed in months but rather in the coming days and weeks,&quot; said opposition legislative leader Julio Borges during Tuesday&#39;s session. &quot;Otherwise, we will walk away from the negotiating table and continue with our struggle.&quot;

Without concrete progress, Borges said, the opposition would reopen the political trial and resume protests. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets last week in demonstrations that left dozens arrested and wounded.

Maduro&#39;s adversaries accuse him of creating a dictatorship by leaning on compliant institutions to block the recall referendum and sideline the National Assembly.

The Socialist Party lost control of the legislature in a landslide election in 2015 that was driven primarily by voter outrage over triple-digit inflation and widespread product shortages that have left many unable to eat three meals per day.

Activists freed

Maduro insists economic troubles are the result of an &quot;economic war&quot; imposed by hostile businessmen with the help of Venezuela&#39;s ideological adversaries in Washington.

The two sides have held repeated dialogue processes over the years that generally produced limited results.

&quot;I congratulate the opposition because they are calming down,&quot; Maduro said in a radio show.

&quot;What is the alternative to dialogue? War.&quot;

Many in the opposition have called the dialogue a stalling tactic and insist Maduro has no intention of allowing a referendum or an early presidential vote.

Authorities on Monday night freed three activists - Carlos Melo, Andres Moreno and Marco Trejo.

Moreno and Trejo spent a month in jail, accused of damaging military morale in a political propaganda video that showed a soldier suffering the same economic hardships as protesters.

The opposition&#39;s coalition on Tuesday said authorities had also released Coromoto Rodriguez, head of security for the legislature who was arrested during an opposition rally in May.

Government critics had said the detention was illegal and called it an effort to intimidate the legislature.

Investigations of the activists will continue, the government says. The three deny the charges.

As well as the Vatican, three former heads of state from Panama, Dominican Republic and Spain plus the regional bloc Unasur are trying to foster dialogue in Venezuela.

Senior U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon is also in Caracas and met with Maduro on Monday to try and support the talks.

Having narrowly won election in 2013 to replace Hugo Chavez, who died of cancer, Maduro has seen his popularity plummet, largely due to the OPEC nation&#39;s unprecedented economic crisis.

(Reuters)

It also agreed to postpone a march planned for Thursday to the presidential palace that the government had described as part of a coup plot

Venezuela freed four activists and the opposition postponed a symbolic trial in congress of President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday even as it warned it would quit Vatican-backed talks in a matter of days if tough conditions were not met. Maduro met with opposition leaders on Sunday for the start of talks to ease a political standoff between the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition-led parliament during a spiraling economic crisis. As well as suspending its parliamentary proceedings against Maduro, the opposition also agreed to postpone a march planned for Thursday to the presidential palace that the government had described as part of a coup plot. But it demanded that the government release around 100 jailed opposition activists and bring forward the next presidential election - conditions that are likely to meet with significant resistance from government leaders. Venezuela's next presidential election is due in late 2018. "We have put these points on the table, not so that they can be addressed in months but rather in the coming days and weeks," said opposition legislative leader Julio Borges during Tuesday's session. "Otherwise, we will walk away from the negotiating table and continue with our struggle." Without concrete progress, Borges said, the opposition would reopen the political trial and resume protests. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets last week in demonstrations that left dozens arrested and wounded. Maduro's adversaries accuse him of creating a dictatorship by leaning on compliant institutions to block the recall referendum and sideline the National Assembly. The Socialist Party lost control of the legislature in a landslide election in 2015 that was driven primarily by voter outrage over triple-digit inflation and widespread product shortages that have left many unable to eat three meals per day. Activists freed Maduro insists economic troubles are the result of an "economic war" imposed by hostile businessmen with the help of Venezuela's ideological adversaries in Washington. The two sides have held repeated dialogue processes over the years that generally produced limited results. "I congratulate the opposition because they are calming down," Maduro said in a radio show. "What is the alternative to dialogue? War." Many in the opposition have called the dialogue a stalling tactic and insist Maduro has no intention of allowing a referendum or an early presidential vote. Authorities on Monday night freed three activists - Carlos Melo, Andres Moreno and Marco Trejo. Moreno and Trejo spent a month in jail, accused of damaging military morale in a political propaganda video that showed a soldier suffering the same economic hardships as protesters. The opposition's coalition on Tuesday said authorities had also released Coromoto Rodriguez, head of security for the legislature who was arrested during an opposition rally in May. Government critics had said the detention was illegal and called it an effort to intimidate the legislature. Investigations of the activists will continue, the government says. The three deny the charges. As well as the Vatican, three former heads of state from Panama, Dominican Republic and Spain plus the regional bloc Unasur are trying to foster dialogue in Venezuela. Senior U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon is also in Caracas and met with Maduro on Monday to try and support the talks. Having narrowly won election in 2013 to replace Hugo Chavez, who died of cancer, Maduro has seen his popularity plummet, largely due to the OPEC nation's unprecedented economic crisis. (Reuters)

Venezuela opposition scraps Maduro trial but presses demands

Venezuela&#39;s opposition-majority legislature declared on Sunday that President Nicolas Maduro&#39;s government had committed a coup d&#39;etat by blocking a referendum on removing him from power, vowing mass protests and international pressure.

Furious over the electoral authorities&#39; decision to suspend the process of organising a recall vote, opposition lawmakers passed a resolution declaring &quot;the breakdown of constitutional order&quot; and &quot;a coup d&#39;etat committed by the Nicolas Maduro regime.&quot;

In an emergency session on the economic and political crisis gripping the South American oil giant, lawmakers called on Venezuelans to &quot;actively defend&quot; the constitution and declared they would ask the international community to &quot;activate mechanisms&quot; to restore democracy.

&quot;A continual coup d&#39;etat has been perpetrated in Venezuela, culminating in the decision to rob us of a recall referendum. We&#39;re here to officially declare the regrettable and painful rupture of the constitution,&quot; said majority leader Julio Borges of the center-right opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD).

The election board on Thursday suspended the opposition drive for a recall referendum, despite the OPEC nation&#39;s crushing economic crisis and Maduro&#39;s unpopularity.&nbsp;

Citing court orders due to government allegations of fraud in an initial signature drive, the election board cancelled the next phase in the lengthy referendum process: the collection of 4 million signatures to trigger the vote. 
Critics say both the judiciary and the election authority are subservient to the state, and barely any of their decisions have gone against Maduro since his rule began in 2013.

Pro-Maduro lawmakers accused the opposition itself of seeking to stage a coup. &quot;Don&#39;t try to take advantage of these hard times to finish off our nation,&quot; deputy Earle Herrera said.

Opposition lawmakers stopped short of voting to put Maduro on trial, as they had threatened to do in the day&#39;s agenda.

The session briefly descended into chaos when a group of Maduro supporters forced their way past security guards and burst into the national assembly, causing lawmakers to halt the proceedings for 45 minutes. Despite its harsh words, the legislature&#39;s resolution is largely symbolic.

The Supreme Court has declared the legislative majority in contempt of court for defying it by swearing in three lawmakers at the center of an electoral fraud investigation.

The opposition, which says the accusations are trumped up, condemns the high court as a Maduro lapdog.

The court has slapped down every bill passed by the legislature since the opposition took control in January. Venezuela&#39;s crisis hit a new low Thursday when the national electoral council (CNE) indefinitely suspended the recall referendum process after criminal courts in five states ruled the opposition had committed fraud in an initial petition drive.

Holding a recall referendum, a right guaranteed under Venezuela&#39;s constitution, was the opposition&#39;s main strategy to get rid of the man they accuse of driving the once-booming country to the brink of collapse.

The opposition had been gearing up for the last hurdle in the complex process: a three-day drive starting Wednesday to collect signatures from four million voters demanding a recall vote.

Now that the authorities have stymied that bid, furious opposition leaders have promised the start of a new wave of nationwide protests on Wednesday. Political analysts have warned of a risk of violent unrest in this country of 30 million people.

(Agencies) 
&nbsp;

Opposition vowed protests against the decision to block a referendum on removing Maduro from power, describing it as a 'coup'

Venezuela's opposition-majority legislature declared on Sunday that President Nicolas Maduro's government had committed a coup d'etat by blocking a referendum on removing him from power, vowing mass protests and international pressure. Furious over the electoral authorities' decision to suspend the process of organising a recall vote, opposition lawmakers passed a resolution declaring "the breakdown of constitutional order" and "a coup d'etat committed by the Nicolas Maduro regime." In an emergency session on the economic and political crisis gripping the South American oil giant, lawmakers called on Venezuelans to "actively defend" the constitution and declared they would ask the international community to "activate mechanisms" to restore democracy. "A continual coup d'etat has been perpetrated in Venezuela, culminating in the decision to rob us of a recall referendum. We're here to officially declare the regrettable and painful rupture of the constitution," said majority leader Julio Borges of the center-right opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD). The election board on Thursday suspended the opposition drive for a recall referendum, despite the OPEC nation's crushing economic crisis and Maduro's unpopularity. Citing court orders due to government allegations of fraud in an initial signature drive, the election board cancelled the next phase in the lengthy referendum process: the collection of 4 million signatures to trigger the vote. Critics say both the judiciary and the election authority are subservient to the state, and barely any of their decisions have gone against Maduro since his rule began in 2013. Pro-Maduro lawmakers accused the opposition itself of seeking to stage a coup. "Don't try to take advantage of these hard times to finish off our nation," deputy Earle Herrera said. Opposition lawmakers stopped short of voting to put Maduro on trial, as they had threatened to do in the day's agenda. The session briefly descended into chaos when a group of Maduro supporters forced their way past security guards and burst into the national assembly, causing lawmakers to halt the proceedings for 45 minutes. Despite its harsh words, the legislature's resolution is largely symbolic. The Supreme Court has declared the legislative majority in contempt of court for defying it by swearing in three lawmakers at the center of an electoral fraud investigation. The opposition, which says the accusations are trumped up, condemns the high court as a Maduro lapdog. The court has slapped down every bill passed by the legislature since the opposition took control in January. Venezuela's crisis hit a new low Thursday when the national electoral council (CNE) indefinitely suspended the recall referendum process after criminal courts in five states ruled the opposition had committed fraud in an initial petition drive. Holding a recall referendum, a right guaranteed under Venezuela's constitution, was the opposition's main strategy to get rid of the man they accuse of driving the once-booming country to the brink of collapse. The opposition had been gearing up for the last hurdle in the complex process: a three-day drive starting Wednesday to collect signatures from four million voters demanding a recall vote. Now that the authorities have stymied that bid, furious opposition leaders have promised the start of a new wave of nationwide protests on Wednesday. Political analysts have warned of a risk of violent unrest in this country of 30 million people. (Agencies)

Venezuelan congress declares 'coup' by Maduro government

&nbsp;

A furious Venezuelan opposition vowed mass street protests next week, accusing the Socialist government Friday of staging a coup by blocking efforts for a recall referendum against President Nicolas Maduro.

The opposition MUD coalition called for nationwide demonstrations from next Wednesday against the decision to annul a key stage in the referendum process.

&quot;A coup d&#39;etat was carried out yesterday against all Venezuelans,&quot; Henrique Capriles, a leading MUD figure, told a press conference, shouting furiously.

Authorities on Thursday quashed the opposition&#39;s main strategy to get rid of the man they accuse of driving the oil-rich country to the brink of economic collapse.

The National Electoral Council (CNE) said it had indefinitely suspended the recall referendum process after criminal courts in five states ruled the opposition had committed fraud in an initial petition drive.

&nbsp;Nationwide protests&nbsp; 
The opposition had been gearing up for the last hurdle in the complex process: a three-day drive starting next Wednesday to collect signatures from four million voters demanding a recall referendum.

Now that the courts and electoral authorities have stymied that bid, Capriles said Wednesday would instead mark the start of a wave of street protests.

&quot;That day is going to be the beginning of a mobilisation across the whole country,&quot; he said.

&quot;We will take Venezuela from end to end. People will be mobilised in every corner of our country to restore constitutional order.&quot;

An opposition rally on September 1 drew hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in Caracas. Capriles vowed next week&#39;s action would be more sustained.

&quot;We will mobilise as much as we have to,&quot; he said.

Analysts have warned of a risk of violent unrest in this country of 30 million people.

Hit by the fall in crude oil prices, the economy has crashed. Food shortages have sparked looting over recent months.

Riots in 2014 left 43 people dead.

&quot;The referendum was going to be a pressure valve,&quot; said Jose Vicente Haro, a constitutional expert.

&quot;When the institutional paths are closed, there is a rise in violence and political conflict.&quot;

The top heads of the armed forces have previously pledged loyalty to Maduro but Capriles has insinuated in the past that mid-ranking officers suffering in the crisis may feel differently.

&quot;I hope the patriotic military servicemen of our country will uphold the constitution,&quot; he said Friday.

The United States said it was &quot;deeply concerned&quot; by the decision to halt the referendum process.

&quot;By doing so, we believe the CNE prevents the Venezuelan people from exercising their important constitutional right,&quot; said state department spokesman John Kirby.

Maduro has accused Washington of plotting to overthrow him. He brands the crisis a capitalist conspiracy.

Capriles alleged he and seven other opposition figures had received court orders barring them from leaving the country.

Maduro&#39;s camp hinted it would seek to have opposition leaders jailed over the alleged fraud.

It has previously sidelined opponents by jailing them, such as Leopoldo Lopez, the leader of the anti-government protests in 2014.

&quot;Let us hope that those responsible will now be sought out and detained and go to prison for the deception they have committed,&quot; Maduro&#39;s number two, Diosdado Cabello, said in a speech.

Public support for Maduro has crumbled under the pressure of a crippling recession, soaring inflation and widespread shortages of food, medicine and basic goods.

A recent poll found more than 75 per cent of Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro. 
&nbsp; 
The MUD says Maduro and his allies control the courts and electoral authorities and are using them to cling to power.

Maduro accused the opposition of &quot;gigantic fraud,&quot; in a speech before leaving on a tour of the Middle East.

There he planned to push his plan for major oil producers to slash output, to boost prices in the hope of dragging Venezuela out of crisis.

(AFP)

The MUD's declaration comes after the National Electoral Council suspended the recall referendum process in compliance to court's orders

A furious Venezuelan opposition vowed mass street protests next week, accusing the Socialist government Friday of staging a coup by blocking efforts for a recall referendum against President Nicolas Maduro. The opposition MUD coalition called for nationwide demonstrations from next Wednesday against the decision to annul a key stage in the referendum process. "A coup d'etat was carried out yesterday against all Venezuelans," Henrique Capriles, a leading MUD figure, told a press conference, shouting furiously. Authorities on Thursday quashed the opposition's main strategy to get rid of the man they accuse of driving the oil-rich country to the brink of economic collapse. The National Electoral Council (CNE) said it had indefinitely suspended the recall referendum process after criminal courts in five states ruled the opposition had committed fraud in an initial petition drive. Nationwide protests The opposition had been gearing up for the last hurdle in the complex process: a three-day drive starting next Wednesday to collect signatures from four million voters demanding a recall referendum. Now that the courts and electoral authorities have stymied that bid, Capriles said Wednesday would instead mark the start of a wave of street protests. "That day is going to be the beginning of a mobilisation across the whole country," he said. "We will take Venezuela from end to end. People will be mobilised in every corner of our country to restore constitutional order." An opposition rally on September 1 drew hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in Caracas. Capriles vowed next week's action would be more sustained. "We will mobilise as much as we have to," he said. Analysts have warned of a risk of violent unrest in this country of 30 million people. Hit by the fall in crude oil prices, the economy has crashed. Food shortages have sparked looting over recent months. Riots in 2014 left 43 people dead. "The referendum was going to be a pressure valve," said Jose Vicente Haro, a constitutional expert. "When the institutional paths are closed, there is a rise in violence and political conflict." The top heads of the armed forces have previously pledged loyalty to Maduro but Capriles has insinuated in the past that mid-ranking officers suffering in the crisis may feel differently. "I hope the patriotic military servicemen of our country will uphold the constitution," he said Friday. The United States said it was "deeply concerned" by the decision to halt the referendum process. "By doing so, we believe the CNE prevents the Venezuelan people from exercising their important constitutional right," said state department spokesman John Kirby. Maduro has accused Washington of plotting to overthrow him. He brands the crisis a capitalist conspiracy. Capriles alleged he and seven other opposition figures had received court orders barring them from leaving the country. Maduro's camp hinted it would seek to have opposition leaders jailed over the alleged fraud. It has previously sidelined opponents by jailing them, such as Leopoldo Lopez, the leader of the anti-government protests in 2014. "Let us hope that those responsible will now be sought out and detained and go to prison for the deception they have committed," Maduro's number two, Diosdado Cabello, said in a speech. Public support for Maduro has crumbled under the pressure of a crippling recession, soaring inflation and widespread shortages of food, medicine and basic goods. A recent poll found more than 75 per cent of Venezuelans disapprove of Maduro. The MUD says Maduro and his allies control the courts and electoral authorities and are using them to cling to power. Maduro accused the opposition of "gigantic fraud," in a speech before leaving on a tour of the Middle East. There he planned to push his plan for major oil producers to slash output, to boost prices in the hope of dragging Venezuela out of crisis. (AFP)

Venezuela: Opposition calls for nationwide protests, threatens coup

Oil prices went up today by almost 2 per cent after Venezuela said OPEC and non-OPEC producers were close to reaching an output stabilising deal.&nbsp; 
 
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that a deal could be announced this month to stabilise oil markets which has been under pressure due to surplus and a price collapse over the past two years., international news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp; 
 
Brent crude futures were at $46.59 per barrel, up 82 Cents or 1.8 per cent at 0301 GMT. While US crude was up 88 cents or 2 per cent at $43.91 a barrel. 
 
Ric Spooner, CMC Markets&#39; chief market analyst said that the rise in oil prices is a reaction to Venezuelan comments about producers reaching a possible output agreement.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;(Libya) unable to get their first ship loaded is a reminder that it may be difficult for Libya to increase production,&quot; he added.&nbsp; 
 
The loading of the first oil cargo from Ras Lanuf was stopped due to the clashes in Libya, raising fears of a new conflict over Libya&#39;s oil resources. 
 
(WION with inputs from Reuters) 
 
 
&nbsp;

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that a deal could be announced this month to stabilise oil markets

Oil prices went up today by almost 2 per cent after Venezuela said OPEC and non-OPEC producers were close to reaching an output stabilising deal. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that a deal could be announced this month to stabilise oil markets which has been under pressure due to surplus and a price collapse over the past two years., international news agency Reuters reported. Brent crude futures were at $46.59 per barrel, up 82 Cents or 1.8 per cent at 0301 GMT. While US crude was up 88 cents or 2 per cent at $43.91 a barrel. Ric Spooner, CMC Markets' chief market analyst said that the rise in oil prices is a reaction to Venezuelan comments about producers reaching a possible output agreement. "(Libya) unable to get their first ship loaded is a reminder that it may be difficult for Libya to increase production," he added. The loading of the first oil cargo from Ras Lanuf was stopped due to the clashes in Libya, raising fears of a new conflict over Libya's oil resources. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Oil prices rise as Venezuela sees output deal

Venezuela&#39;s National Electoral Council (CNE) will announce the dates for the final stages in the referendum process today, AFP news agency reported. 
 
The Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) is pushing for the referendum to evict President Nicolas Maduro and they need four million signatures in three days to do so. 
 
The CNE had postponed the announcement which was to be held on wednesday. 
 
Meanwhile, the opposition is maintaining pressure by calling for nationwide protests. The protests have been taking place in a backdrop of Non-Aligned summit, food shortages and riots.&nbsp; 
 
The CNE was considering late October to hold the three-day petition drive. However, the opposition said it was too late and accused them of stalling the process. 
 
The center-right coalition is trying for a force vote by January 10, the deadline for new elections.&nbsp; 
 
Once the deadline passes and Maduro loses, he will simply transfer power to his hand-picked vice president to complete his remaining term. 
 
The CNE will have just one month to verify all the votes, if the opposition is able to get the required signatures, then three months to organise the referendum.&nbsp; 
 
If the petition is held in late October, the referendum will only be able to take place by March 2017 which may be too late for the country. 
 
Political analysts warn this could cause violence to erupt. 
 
According to the polling firm Datanalisis, 80 per cent of Venezuelans want a different government. Venezuelans are facing severe economic crisis with inflation set to top 700 per cent, according to IMF. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

The Democratic Unity Roundtable needs four million signatures in three days to start the process of the referendum

Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) will announce the dates for the final stages in the referendum process today, AFP news agency reported. The Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) is pushing for the referendum to evict President Nicolas Maduro and they need four million signatures in three days to do so. The CNE had postponed the announcement which was to be held on wednesday. Meanwhile, the opposition is maintaining pressure by calling for nationwide protests. The protests have been taking place in a backdrop of Non-Aligned summit, food shortages and riots. The CNE was considering late October to hold the three-day petition drive. However, the opposition said it was too late and accused them of stalling the process. The center-right coalition is trying for a force vote by January 10, the deadline for new elections. Once the deadline passes and Maduro loses, he will simply transfer power to his hand-picked vice president to complete his remaining term. The CNE will have just one month to verify all the votes, if the opposition is able to get the required signatures, then three months to organise the referendum. If the petition is held in late October, the referendum will only be able to take place by March 2017 which may be too late for the country. Political analysts warn this could cause violence to erupt. According to the polling firm Datanalisis, 80 per cent of Venezuelans want a different government. Venezuelans are facing severe economic crisis with inflation set to top 700 per cent, according to IMF. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Venezuela enters endgame of anti-Maduro referendum

Venezuela and Colombia agreed on Thursday to reopen pedestrian border crossings between their countries, a year after Venezuela closed the frontier in a dispute over security and smuggling. 
 
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he and his Venezuelan counterpart agreed to open five pedestrian crossings for 15 hours a day from Saturday. 
 
&quot;What we are going to do is open the border gradually,&quot; Santos told reporters after talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. 
 
&quot;It will be a temporary opening schedule while we learn and adapt to the decisions so that each step we take will be accurate and positive.&quot; 
 
Maduro said he hoped the reopening would lead to a &quot;new frontier of peace&quot; and &quot;a new beginning for economic and trade relations.&quot; 
 
Santos said they would continue discussions about opening up the border to cargo vehicles. 
 
He added that they were discussing the possibility of setting up Venezuelan gas stations on the Colombian side where Venezuela could sell its petrol. 
 
At the talks in the eastern Venezuelan town of Puerto Ordaz, the leaders said they reviewed reports by their advisers on cross-border smuggling and security. 
 
Security was the top issue at the border, Santos said. The two countries this week set up a joint initiative to fight organized crime. 
 
&quot;This is very important because it is going to make it possible for the rest of the border to operate peacefully,&quot; he said.Santos said the two countries also agreed to exchange customs information to fight petrol smuggling -- one reason Maduro cited for closing the border. 
 
Maduro sealed off his country&#39;s 2,200-kilometre (1,400-mile) western border on August 19 last year after an attack on a Venezuelan army patrol which wounded three people. 
 
He said at the time that right-wing paramilitaries from Colombia were to blame. 
 
The leftist leader has briefly reopened the border in recent weeks to allow Venezuelans to stock up on food, medicine and other basic supplies. 
 
Tens of thousands of Venezuelans streamed into the Colombian city of Cucuta last month, taking advantage of the temporary reopening. 
Venezuela is facing severe shortages in an economic crisis fueled by the global crash in the price of oil, its main export. 
 
Maduro&#39;s opponents also accuse him of mishandling the state-led economy. They are trying to call a referendum on removing him from office. 
 
The United Nations said Venezuela deported hundreds of Colombians last year after the border was closed and that thousands more fled back to Colombia for fear of being expelled. 
 
The UN Interamerican Commission on Human Rights said the situation caused a humanitarian crisis and that deported Colombians` rights were violated.&nbsp;Caracas denied the allegation. 
 
(AFP)

Maduro had also briefly reopened the border in recent weeks to allow crisis-hit Venezuelans to stock up on food and medicines

Venezuela and Colombia agreed on Thursday to reopen pedestrian border crossings between their countries, a year after Venezuela closed the frontier in a dispute over security and smuggling. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he and his Venezuelan counterpart agreed to open five pedestrian crossings for 15 hours a day from Saturday. "What we are going to do is open the border gradually," Santos told reporters after talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. "It will be a temporary opening schedule while we learn and adapt to the decisions so that each step we take will be accurate and positive." Maduro said he hoped the reopening would lead to a "new frontier of peace" and "a new beginning for economic and trade relations." Santos said they would continue discussions about opening up the border to cargo vehicles. He added that they were discussing the possibility of setting up Venezuelan gas stations on the Colombian side where Venezuela could sell its petrol. At the talks in the eastern Venezuelan town of Puerto Ordaz, the leaders said they reviewed reports by their advisers on cross-border smuggling and security. Security was the top issue at the border, Santos said. The two countries this week set up a joint initiative to fight organized crime. "This is very important because it is going to make it possible for the rest of the border to operate peacefully," he said.Santos said the two countries also agreed to exchange customs information to fight petrol smuggling -- one reason Maduro cited for closing the border. Maduro sealed off his country's 2,200-kilometre (1,400-mile) western border on August 19 last year after an attack on a Venezuelan army patrol which wounded three people. He said at the time that right-wing paramilitaries from Colombia were to blame. The leftist leader has briefly reopened the border in recent weeks to allow Venezuelans to stock up on food, medicine and other basic supplies. Tens of thousands of Venezuelans streamed into the Colombian city of Cucuta last month, taking advantage of the temporary reopening. Venezuela is facing severe shortages in an economic crisis fueled by the global crash in the price of oil, its main export. Maduro's opponents also accuse him of mishandling the state-led economy. They are trying to call a referendum on removing him from office. The United Nations said Venezuela deported hundreds of Colombians last year after the border was closed and that thousands more fled back to Colombia for fear of being expelled. The UN Interamerican Commission on Human Rights said the situation caused a humanitarian crisis and that deported Colombians` rights were violated. Caracas denied the allegation. (AFP)

Colombia, Venezuela to reopen border

Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles urged regional leaders on Thursday to lend their support to opponents of Venezuela`s socialist President Nicolas Maduro and to back a recall referendum that could remove Maduro from power. 
 
Capriles, who spoke ahead of a meeting with Peru`s new president, hailed what he described as growing support in South America as the economic crisis in Venezuela deepens and new market-friendly presidents have replaced former leftists in Peru and Argentina. 
 
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in Peru and Mauricio Macri in Argentina are both vocal critics of the Venezuelan government and a shift to the political right is also occurring under interim President Michel Temer in Brazil. 
 
&quot;The region is changing,&quot; Capriles, a two-time presidential candidate, told a news conference in Lima. &quot;Corrupt governments are falling in Latin America, and they`re going to continue to fall.&quot; 
 
Opposition leaders in Venezuela have planned a march in Caracas on September &nbsp;to demand that electoral authorities permit the recall referendum this year. 
 
The timing is important. If it takes place in 2016, the country could see a new government. If it takes place in 2017, the vice president would take over should Maduro lose. 
 
Critics have accused the country`s electoral council of stalling the referendum process, however, and it looks unlikely that a vote will take place this year. 
 
On Thursday, a group of 15 countries in the Organization of American States called on Venezuela to quickly take remaining steps needed to hold the referendum, according to Peru`s foreign ministry. 
 
Capriles said regional heads of state must also block Maduro from holding the presidency of the Mercosur trade group and &quot;relaunching&quot; the regional bloc UNASUR, which once provided a platform for late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his allies to stand together. 
 
&quot;Those days when a club of buddies would cover each other`s backs is over,&quot; Capriles said. &quot;South America has to stand firmly with respect to the rights of the people.&quot; 
 
Capriles has found a new ally in Peru`s Kuczynski, a 77-year-old former investment banker who promised not to shy away from denouncing what he describes as political repression in Venezuela. The two were scheduled to meet late on Thursday. 
 
Capriles said Latin Americans sympathetic to the government that Chavez started in 1999 should visit the country now. Many Venezuelans say they are hungry, unable to get basic foods or medicines, and lootings and riots happen daily. 
 
Maduro says his government is the victim of an &quot;economic war&quot; led by the United States. 
 
(Reuters)

Opposition is planning a march in Caracas on September 1 to demand electoral authorities to permit a recall referendum this year

Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles urged regional leaders on Thursday to lend their support to opponents of Venezuela`s socialist President Nicolas Maduro and to back a recall referendum that could remove Maduro from power. Capriles, who spoke ahead of a meeting with Peru`s new president, hailed what he described as growing support in South America as the economic crisis in Venezuela deepens and new market-friendly presidents have replaced former leftists in Peru and Argentina. Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in Peru and Mauricio Macri in Argentina are both vocal critics of the Venezuelan government and a shift to the political right is also occurring under interim President Michel Temer in Brazil. "The region is changing," Capriles, a two-time presidential candidate, told a news conference in Lima. "Corrupt governments are falling in Latin America, and they`re going to continue to fall." Opposition leaders in Venezuela have planned a march in Caracas on September to demand that electoral authorities permit the recall referendum this year. The timing is important. If it takes place in 2016, the country could see a new government. If it takes place in 2017, the vice president would take over should Maduro lose. Critics have accused the country`s electoral council of stalling the referendum process, however, and it looks unlikely that a vote will take place this year. On Thursday, a group of 15 countries in the Organization of American States called on Venezuela to quickly take remaining steps needed to hold the referendum, according to Peru`s foreign ministry. Capriles said regional heads of state must also block Maduro from holding the presidency of the Mercosur trade group and "relaunching" the regional bloc UNASUR, which once provided a platform for late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his allies to stand together. "Those days when a club of buddies would cover each other`s backs is over," Capriles said. "South America has to stand firmly with respect to the rights of the people." Capriles has found a new ally in Peru`s Kuczynski, a 77-year-old former investment banker who promised not to shy away from denouncing what he describes as political repression in Venezuela. The two were scheduled to meet late on Thursday. Capriles said Latin Americans sympathetic to the government that Chavez started in 1999 should visit the country now. Many Venezuelans say they are hungry, unable to get basic foods or medicines, and lootings and riots happen daily. Maduro says his government is the victim of an "economic war" led by the United States. (Reuters)

Venezuela: Opposition leader urges united regional front against Maduro

Lionel Messi scored a record-equalling 54th international goal as Argentina outclassed Venezuela 4-1 to book their place in the semi-finals of the Copa America Centenario on Saturday. 
 
The Barcelona superstar scored his fourth goal of the tournament in the 60th minute at the Gillette Stadium to equal Gabriel Batistuta&#39;s long-time Argentina international goalscoring record. 
 
Messi also created a goal for Gonzalo Higuain, who scored twice, and second half substitute Erik Lamela as Argentina set up a semi-final against the United States in Houston on Tuesday. 
 
Afterwards Messi played down his goalscoring milestone. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m happy for what it means and it&#39;s nice to be next to &#39;Batigol&#39; (Batistuta), but for me tonight the most important thing is the result,&quot; Messi said. 
 
Messi is determined to lead Argentina to their first trophy in 23 years after a series of agonizing near-misses which include defeats in the finals of last year&#39;s Copa America and the 2014 World Cup final. 
 
&quot;I think people sometimes overlook that we got to two finals, and only focus on the fact that we lost,&quot; Messi said. 
 
&quot;For us to be back in another semi-final of a big tournament like this one is a great achievement for these players.&quot; 
 
Inspirational display 
 
Few would bet against Messi achieving his goal after an inspirational display that left Venezuela chasing shadows in the early part of Saturday&#39;s quarter-final. 
 
Messi&#39;s genius created the opening goal after eight minutes, with the playmaker lofting a sublime curling pass to pick out Higuain&#39;s run into the area. 
 
Napoli forward Higuain still had plenty to do but skillfully directed a first time strike past Venezuela goalkeeper Dani Hernandez for a wonderful goal. 
 
Argentina remained firmly in control but were jolted in the 27th minute when Nicolas Gaitan picked up a needless yellow card for a kick on Alexander Gonzalez that will see him suspended for the semi-final. 
 
Argentina&#39;s dominance clearly had Venezuela rattled, and the Vinotinto&#39;s defensive unease led to the next goal. 
 
A slack backpass from Arquimedes Figuera went straight to Higuain in space, and the striker coolly rounded Hernandez to stroke home his second of the night to make it 2-0 after 29 minutes. 
 
But just when it looked as if the floodgates would open, Venezuela rallied impressively and had Argentina rocking with a series of chances. 
 
Rondon threat 
 
West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon forced a save from Sergio Romero and hit the woodwork in quick succession. 
 
Romero was left scrambling to save once again just before half-time, when fullback Rolf Feltscher&#39;s long-range shot deflected off Gabriel Mercado and looped up and over the Argentina keeper. 
 
Venezuela looked to have a justifiable claim for a penalty when Higuain brought down Josef Martinez in the box but Mexican referee Roberto Garcia was unmoved. 
 
Seconds later though Garcia was pointing to the spot after Romero clumsily bundled over Martinez for a clear penalty. 
 
But Venezuela&#39;s pressure went unrewarded when Luis Manuel Seijas tried a risky &quot;Panenka&quot; down the middle which Romero read and gathered with ease. 
 
Venezuela were unable to renew their period of pressure in the second half, and Messi effectively put the contest to bed with his record-equalling goal in the 60th minute, which came after Argentina pressed high to force a turnover. 
 
Gaitan won the tackle and passed to Messi, who quickly played a one-two with the Benfica winger before poking his finish between Hernandez&#39;s legs. 
 
Rondon pulled a goal back with a header in the 70th minute, but Messi&#39;s response was instant, threading a pass to Lamela whose shot crept in at Hernandez&#39;s near post. 
(AFP)

Messi seems determined to lead Argentina to its first trophy in 23 years after a series of misses

Lionel Messi scored a record-equalling 54th international goal as Argentina outclassed Venezuela 4-1 to book their place in the semi-finals of the Copa America Centenario on Saturday. The Barcelona superstar scored his fourth goal of the tournament in the 60th minute at the Gillette Stadium to equal Gabriel Batistuta's long-time Argentina international goalscoring record. Messi also created a goal for Gonzalo Higuain, who scored twice, and second half substitute Erik Lamela as Argentina set up a semi-final against the United States in Houston on Tuesday. Afterwards Messi played down his goalscoring milestone. "I'm happy for what it means and it's nice to be next to 'Batigol' (Batistuta), but for me tonight the most important thing is the result," Messi said. Messi is determined to lead Argentina to their first trophy in 23 years after a series of agonizing near-misses which include defeats in the finals of last year's Copa America and the 2014 World Cup final. "I think people sometimes overlook that we got to two finals, and only focus on the fact that we lost," Messi said. "For us to be back in another semi-final of a big tournament like this one is a great achievement for these players." Inspirational display Few would bet against Messi achieving his goal after an inspirational display that left Venezuela chasing shadows in the early part of Saturday's quarter-final. Messi's genius created the opening goal after eight minutes, with the playmaker lofting a sublime curling pass to pick out Higuain's run into the area. Napoli forward Higuain still had plenty to do but skillfully directed a first time strike past Venezuela goalkeeper Dani Hernandez for a wonderful goal. Argentina remained firmly in control but were jolted in the 27th minute when Nicolas Gaitan picked up a needless yellow card for a kick on Alexander Gonzalez that will see him suspended for the semi-final. Argentina's dominance clearly had Venezuela rattled, and the Vinotinto's defensive unease led to the next goal. A slack backpass from Arquimedes Figuera went straight to Higuain in space, and the striker coolly rounded Hernandez to stroke home his second of the night to make it 2-0 after 29 minutes. But just when it looked as if the floodgates would open, Venezuela rallied impressively and had Argentina rocking with a series of chances. Rondon threat West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon forced a save from Sergio Romero and hit the woodwork in quick succession. Romero was left scrambling to save once again just before half-time, when fullback Rolf Feltscher's long-range shot deflected off Gabriel Mercado and looped up and over the Argentina keeper. Venezuela looked to have a justifiable claim for a penalty when Higuain brought down Josef Martinez in the box but Mexican referee Roberto Garcia was unmoved. Seconds later though Garcia was pointing to the spot after Romero clumsily bundled over Martinez for a clear penalty. But Venezuela's pressure went unrewarded when Luis Manuel Seijas tried a risky "Panenka" down the middle which Romero read and gathered with ease. Venezuela were unable to renew their period of pressure in the second half, and Messi effectively put the contest to bed with his record-equalling goal in the 60th minute, which came after Argentina pressed high to force a turnover. Gaitan won the tackle and passed to Messi, who quickly played a one-two with the Benfica winger before poking his finish between Hernandez's legs. Rondon pulled a goal back with a header in the 70th minute, but Messi's response was instant, threading a pass to Lamela whose shot crept in at Hernandez's near post. (AFP)

Messi scores record goal as Argentina thrash Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro yesterday named a military general accused of drug crimes by the United States (US) as his new interior minister and removed from the cabinet his top economic official who was viewed as a potential reformer. 
 
The reshuffle, announced on his weekly &quot;In Contact With Maduro&quot; show, will add to constant tensions with Washington and disappoint those pressing for changes to currency controls and other planks of the failing socialist economy. 
 
Newly-named interior minister Nestor Reverol is a former head of both the anti-narcotics agency and National Guard troop. US prosecutors announced an indictment against him and another official on Monday for abetting cocaine trafficking. 
 
&quot;I offer all my support ... he has been attacked by the US empire,&quot; Maduro said. 
 
Allegations are part of smear campaign, says&nbsp;Venezuela&nbsp; 
 
Reverol, a 51-year-old soldier, who also served as interior minister under Maduro&#39;s predecessor Hugo Chavez, has in the past denied US allegations. Venezuela&#39;s government says the allegations are part of an international smear campaign. 
 
&quot;As interior minister, he broke the world record for capturing traffickers, that is why they want to make him pay, the DEA and all the U.S. drug mafias,&quot; Maduro added, referring to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. &quot;That&#39;s why I have named this brave, combative, experienced man.&quot; 
 
According to the U.S. indictment, from 2008 to 2010, Reverol and the other official, Edylberto Molina, took payments from traffickers to alert them over raids, hinder investigations and arrange the release of suspects, cash and drugs. 
 
In another surprise move on Tuesday, Maduro removed his vice president for the economy and industry minister Miguel Perez. 
 
A former business leader, Perez had advocated for a reform of Venezuela&#39;s byzantine currency controls, to create one unified rate, and was viewed by economists and investors as a possible catalyst for reforms to the state-led economic model. 
 
The South American OPEC nation&#39;s economy is mired in crisis, with a third year of recession, triple-digit inflation, widespread shortages and vast lines at shops. 
 
&quot;I told him to rest for five or six days, I have given him a new mission, we will announce it soon,&quot; Maduro said of Perez. 
 
Industry vice minister Carlos Faria was named to the top post in that ministry. 
 
The outgoing interior minister, Gustavo Gonzalez, is on a U.S. sanctions list for accusations of complicity in 2014 violence against anti-government protester. He denies that. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The reshuffle will add to constant tensions with Washington and disappoint those pressing for changes to currency controls

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro yesterday named a military general accused of drug crimes by the United States (US) as his new interior minister and removed from the cabinet his top economic official who was viewed as a potential reformer. The reshuffle, announced on his weekly "In Contact With Maduro" show, will add to constant tensions with Washington and disappoint those pressing for changes to currency controls and other planks of the failing socialist economy. Newly-named interior minister Nestor Reverol is a former head of both the anti-narcotics agency and National Guard troop. US prosecutors announced an indictment against him and another official on Monday for abetting cocaine trafficking. "I offer all my support ... he has been attacked by the US empire," Maduro said. Allegations are part of smear campaign, says Venezuela Reverol, a 51-year-old soldier, who also served as interior minister under Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chavez, has in the past denied US allegations. Venezuela's government says the allegations are part of an international smear campaign. "As interior minister, he broke the world record for capturing traffickers, that is why they want to make him pay, the DEA and all the U.S. drug mafias," Maduro added, referring to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. "That's why I have named this brave, combative, experienced man." According to the U.S. indictment, from 2008 to 2010, Reverol and the other official, Edylberto Molina, took payments from traffickers to alert them over raids, hinder investigations and arrange the release of suspects, cash and drugs. In another surprise move on Tuesday, Maduro removed his vice president for the economy and industry minister Miguel Perez. A former business leader, Perez had advocated for a reform of Venezuela's byzantine currency controls, to create one unified rate, and was viewed by economists and investors as a possible catalyst for reforms to the state-led economic model. The South American OPEC nation's economy is mired in crisis, with a third year of recession, triple-digit inflation, widespread shortages and vast lines at shops. "I told him to rest for five or six days, I have given him a new mission, we will announce it soon," Maduro said of Perez. Industry vice minister Carlos Faria was named to the top post in that ministry. The outgoing interior minister, Gustavo Gonzalez, is on a U.S. sanctions list for accusations of complicity in 2014 violence against anti-government protester. He denies that. (Reuters)

Venezuela names general accused of drug crimes by US as minister

Venezuela&#39;s food shortages, inflation and crumbling medical sector have become such a source of anguish that a growing number of young women are reluctantly opting for sterilisations rather than face the hardship of pregnancy and child-rearing.&nbsp; 
 
Traditional contraceptives like condoms or birth control pills have virtually vanished from store shelves, pushing women towards the hard-to-reverse surgery. 
 
&quot;Having a child now means making him suffer,&quot; said Milagros Martinez, waiting on a park bench on a recent morning ahead of her sterilisation at a nearby Caracas municipal health centre. 
 
The 28-year-old butcher from the poor outskirts of Caracas decided on the operation after having an unplanned second child because she could not find birth control pills. 
 
Her daily life revolves around finding food: she gets up in the middle of the night to stand in long lines outside supermarkets, sometimes with no choice but to bring along her baby son, who has been sunburnt during hours-long waits.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I&#39;m a little scared about being sterilised but I prefer that to having more children,&quot; said Martinez, who with dozens of other women took a bus from the slums at 4 am to attend a special &quot;sterilisation day&quot; in this wealthy area of Caracas. 
 
While no recent national statistics on sterilisations are available, doctors and health workers say demand for the procedure is growing. 
 
The local health program for women in Miranda state, which includes parts of Caracas, offers 40 spots during these &quot;sterilisation days&quot; but as recently as last year did not usually fill them.&nbsp; 
 
Now all the slots are scooped up and some 500 women are on the waiting list, according to program director Deliana Torres.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Before, the conditions for this program were that the women be low-income and have at least four kids. Now we have women with one or two kids who want to be tied up,&quot; she said.&nbsp; 
 
Health workers at a national family planning organisation and at three government hospitals in the states of Falcon, Tachira and Merida echoed her view that demand for sterilisations had grown in recent months. 
 
The trend highlights how the oil-rich nation&#39;s brutal recession is forcing people to make difficult choices. 
&nbsp; 
Venezuela is a largely Roman Catholic country where Church doctrine rejects all forms of contraception and abortion is banned unless a woman&#39;s life is at risk. The Archbishop of Merida, Baltazar Porras, told Reuters an increase in sterilisations would be a &quot;barbarity&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
But Venezuela&#39;s crisis has triggered almost daily riots for food and slammed a shrinking middle class as well as the poor who were once a bastion of support for late leftist leader Hugo Chavez&#39;s self-styled &quot;beautiful revolution&quot;. 
 
Pregnant women are particularly affected as they struggle to find adequate food and supplements, give birth in crowded and under-equipped hospitals, and have to spend hours in lines for scarce diapers, baby food and medicines. 
 
The government ministries for health, women and information did not respond to requests for comment. 
 
 
&#39;I wanted five kids&#39; 
 
Sterilisations are usually straightforward procedures that involve closing or blocking a woman&#39;s fallopian tubes, known as tubal ligation.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I heard about these free sterilisation days on the radio. Immediately I showered, dressed, and went out (to find out about them),&quot; said Rosmary Teran, 32, who had her second child two months ago and also came to the health centre from a poor neighborhood before dawn.&nbsp; 
 
Some health workers fear the economic meltdown is putting pressure on women to make a choice they may come to regret if the crisis eases. 
 
&quot;Sometimes we hear: &#39;My husband told me to get sterilised because another child now wouldn&#39;t be practical&#39;,&quot; said social worker Ania Rodriguez at family planning group PLAFAM in central Caracas.&nbsp; 
 
Rodriguez says she meets with up to five women a day seeking sterilisations, up from one or two per week about a year ago. 
 
When women seem unsure or pressured into sterilisations, Rodriguez tries to steer them towards contraceptives like intra-uterine devices, which are somewhat more available and affordable than birth control pills or condoms. 
 
When they have them, pharmacies sell a pack of three condoms for around 600 Bolivars, only 60 US cents at the black market rate but a big expense for those who earn the minimum wage of some 33,000 Bolivars per month. 
 
On the Caracas re-sale market, those same condoms fetch around 2,000 Bolivars.&nbsp;Venezuela&#39;s elite can afford those prices but the ailing middle class and poor are increasingly stuck. 
 
&quot;I couldn&#39;t find the (contraceptive) injections, the pill, nothing. It&#39;s very expensive on the black market, and now you can&#39;t even find stuff there anymore,&quot; said Yecsenis Ginez, 31, who has one son and decided to get sterilised. 
 
&quot;I thought I would have up to five kids, I had loads of names in mind. But it would be crazy to fall pregnant now.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Still, some women have had to wait for months to be sterilised because there are limited spots at state-led hospitals and private clinics can charge about 12 times the monthly minimum wage. 
 
And some health centres are unable to provide sterilisations at all due to a lack of equipment or specialists.&nbsp; 
 
Disarray 
Amid what now feels like a distant oil boom, Chavez built thousands of Cuban-staffed health centres in poor neighborhoods and also launched popular maternity-health programs during his 1999-2013 rule. 
 
But with Venezuela&#39;s state-led economic model decaying and oil prices depressed, hospitals have deteriorated sharply under his successor Nicolas Maduro.&nbsp; 
 
Medicine shortages hover around 85 per cent, according to a leading pharmaceutical association. Equipment ranging from surgical gloves to incubators is scarce, and many underpaid doctors have left the public sector or emigrated. 
 
The government still says it has one of the world&#39;s best health systems and accuses detractors of waging a smear campaign. It has stopped releasing timely health data, though. 
 
The World Health Organization says Venezuela&#39;s neo-natal mortality rate was 8.9 per 1,000 live births last year, above the Americas region&#39;s average of 7.7. 
 
It says Venezuela&#39;s maternal mortality rate was 95 per 100,000 live births in 2015, one of the worst rates in Latin America and up from 90 in 2000.&nbsp; 
 
The nation of 30 million people has one of Latin America&#39;s highest rates of teenage pregnancies and large numbers of single-parent households, UN data shows.&nbsp; 
 
As they waited to be called into the operating room for their sterilisations, women in blue scrubs and hairnets wistfully recalled happier times in once-booming Venezuela.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Before, when you got pregnant, everyone was happy,&quot; said mother-of-two Yessy Ascanio, 38, as she sat on a bed in a side room. &quot;Now when a woman says &#39;I&#39;m pregnant&#39;, everyone scolds you. It makes me sad for young women.&quot; 
 
As some of her peers nervously looked out at patients being wheeled out after their sterilisation, Ascanio advised: &quot;If you get scared, just remember those food lines.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

'If you get scared, just remember those food lines' say women who are opting for sterilisation in the country hit by food-shortage

Venezuela's food shortages, inflation and crumbling medical sector have become such a source of anguish that a growing number of young women are reluctantly opting for sterilisations rather than face the hardship of pregnancy and child-rearing. Traditional contraceptives like condoms or birth control pills have virtually vanished from store shelves, pushing women towards the hard-to-reverse surgery. "Having a child now means making him suffer," said Milagros Martinez, waiting on a park bench on a recent morning ahead of her sterilisation at a nearby Caracas municipal health centre. The 28-year-old butcher from the poor outskirts of Caracas decided on the operation after having an unplanned second child because she could not find birth control pills. Her daily life revolves around finding food: she gets up in the middle of the night to stand in long lines outside supermarkets, sometimes with no choice but to bring along her baby son, who has been sunburnt during hours-long waits. "I'm a little scared about being sterilised but I prefer that to having more children," said Martinez, who with dozens of other women took a bus from the slums at 4 am to attend a special "sterilisation day" in this wealthy area of Caracas. While no recent national statistics on sterilisations are available, doctors and health workers say demand for the procedure is growing. The local health program for women in Miranda state, which includes parts of Caracas, offers 40 spots during these "sterilisation days" but as recently as last year did not usually fill them. Now all the slots are scooped up and some 500 women are on the waiting list, according to program director Deliana Torres. "Before, the conditions for this program were that the women be low-income and have at least four kids. Now we have women with one or two kids who want to be tied up," she said. Health workers at a national family planning organisation and at three government hospitals in the states of Falcon, Tachira and Merida echoed her view that demand for sterilisations had grown in recent months. The trend highlights how the oil-rich nation's brutal recession is forcing people to make difficult choices. Venezuela is a largely Roman Catholic country where Church doctrine rejects all forms of contraception and abortion is banned unless a woman's life is at risk. The Archbishop of Merida, Baltazar Porras, told Reuters an increase in sterilisations would be a "barbarity". But Venezuela's crisis has triggered almost daily riots for food and slammed a shrinking middle class as well as the poor who were once a bastion of support for late leftist leader Hugo Chavez's self-styled "beautiful revolution". Pregnant women are particularly affected as they struggle to find adequate food and supplements, give birth in crowded and under-equipped hospitals, and have to spend hours in lines for scarce diapers, baby food and medicines. The government ministries for health, women and information did not respond to requests for comment. 'I wanted five kids' Sterilisations are usually straightforward procedures that involve closing or blocking a woman's fallopian tubes, known as tubal ligation. "I heard about these free sterilisation days on the radio. Immediately I showered, dressed, and went out (to find out about them)," said Rosmary Teran, 32, who had her second child two months ago and also came to the health centre from a poor neighborhood before dawn. Some health workers fear the economic meltdown is putting pressure on women to make a choice they may come to regret if the crisis eases. "Sometimes we hear: 'My husband told me to get sterilised because another child now wouldn't be practical'," said social worker Ania Rodriguez at family planning group PLAFAM in central Caracas. Rodriguez says she meets with up to five women a day seeking sterilisations, up from one or two per week about a year ago. When women seem unsure or pressured into sterilisations, Rodriguez tries to steer them towards contraceptives like intra-uterine devices, which are somewhat more available and affordable than birth control pills or condoms. When they have them, pharmacies sell a pack of three condoms for around 600 Bolivars, only 60 US cents at the black market rate but a big expense for those who earn the minimum wage of some 33,000 Bolivars per month. On the Caracas re-sale market, those same condoms fetch around 2,000 Bolivars. Venezuela's elite can afford those prices but the ailing middle class and poor are increasingly stuck. "I couldn't find the (contraceptive) injections, the pill, nothing. It's very expensive on the black market, and now you can't even find stuff there anymore," said Yecsenis Ginez, 31, who has one son and decided to get sterilised. "I thought I would have up to five kids, I had loads of names in mind. But it would be crazy to fall pregnant now." Still, some women have had to wait for months to be sterilised because there are limited spots at state-led hospitals and private clinics can charge about 12 times the monthly minimum wage. And some health centres are unable to provide sterilisations at all due to a lack of equipment or specialists. Disarray Amid what now feels like a distant oil boom, Chavez built thousands of Cuban-staffed health centres in poor neighborhoods and also launched popular maternity-health programs during his 1999-2013 rule. But with Venezuela's state-led economic model decaying and oil prices depressed, hospitals have deteriorated sharply under his successor Nicolas Maduro. Medicine shortages hover around 85 per cent, according to a leading pharmaceutical association. Equipment ranging from surgical gloves to incubators is scarce, and many underpaid doctors have left the public sector or emigrated. The government still says it has one of the world's best health systems and accuses detractors of waging a smear campaign. It has stopped releasing timely health data, though. The World Health Organization says Venezuela's neo-natal mortality rate was 8.9 per 1,000 live births last year, above the Americas region's average of 7.7. It says Venezuela's maternal mortality rate was 95 per 100,000 live births in 2015, one of the worst rates in Latin America and up from 90 in 2000. The nation of 30 million people has one of Latin America's highest rates of teenage pregnancies and large numbers of single-parent households, UN data shows. As they waited to be called into the operating room for their sterilisations, women in blue scrubs and hairnets wistfully recalled happier times in once-booming Venezuela. "Before, when you got pregnant, everyone was happy," said mother-of-two Yessy Ascanio, 38, as she sat on a bed in a side room. "Now when a woman says 'I'm pregnant', everyone scolds you. It makes me sad for young women." As some of her peers nervously looked out at patients being wheeled out after their sterilisation, Ascanio advised: "If you get scared, just remember those food lines." (Reuters)

Deep recession drives young Venezuelan women to sterilisation

Venezuela&#39;s opposition gathered enough signatures to proceed with efforts to call a referendum on removing President Nicolas Maduro, electoral authorities said Monday, without setting a date for the next step. 
 
The head of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, told a press conference Maduro&#39;s opponents had cleared the threshold of 200,000 valid signatures on a petition demanding the leftist leader face a recall referendum. 
 
The opposition blames Maduro for an economic implosion that has seen food shortages, hyperinflation, violence and looting erupt in the once-booming oil giant. 
 
The council did not set a date for the next stage of the lengthy recall process, in which the opposition must collect four million signatures in just three days. 
 
In a boost to the Maduro camp&#39;s claims of rampant fraud, Lucena said the authorities had detected more than 1,000 apparently falsified signatures. 
 
The opposition submitted 1.8 million signatures in May calling for Maduro to face a recall, 1.3 million of which were accepted by the council. 
 
Signatories then had to show up at electoral offices to validate their identity with fingerprint scans. 
 
The threshold was one per cent of the electorate, or roughly 200,000 signatures which the opposition cleared. 
 
&quot;The certification will be granted by the (CNE) secretariat,&quot; Lucena said. 
 
That enables the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), to formally request a recall vote. 
 
However, Lucena said more than 1,000 fingerprint scans did not correspond with the signatory&#39;s identity, more than 400 were repeats and nearly 200 people tried to register more than once. 
 
&quot;The electoral authority will ask the state prosecutor&#39;s office to investigate the potential usurpation of identity committed by some citizens,&quot; she said. 
 
A recent poll found 64 per cent of Venezuelans would vote to remove Maduro. 
 
But to get there, the opposition first has to collect another four million signatures in three days, at a yet-to-be-decided time. 
 
To win the ensuing recall referendum, Maduro&#39;s opponents would need more votes than he won the presidency with in 2013 around 7.5 million. 
 
Time appears to be on the president&#39;s side. 
 
His allies have an arsenal of possible delaying strategies. They have filed more than 8,000 legal challenges against the recall petition and called on the electoral authorities to ban MUD for alleged fraud. 
 
The opposition is racing to force a referendum by January 10, the cutoff date to trigger new elections four years into the president&#39;s six-year term. 
 
After that date, a successful recall vote would simply transfer power to Maduro&#39;s hand-picked vice-president.US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Venezuela not to stall. 
 
&quot;The Venezuelan constitution guarantees Venezuelans the right to have their voices heard through the referendum process. And we call on Venezuela`s authorities to allow this process to go forward in a timely and a fair manner, and not to play a game of delay,&quot; he said in Washington. 
 
MUD, a motley coalition of opposition parties, accuses the electoral authority of being in bed with Maduro. 
 
They are hoping pressure from Venezuelans desperate over the collapsing economy will force the government&#39;s hand. 
But MUD has struggled to rally mass protests. 
 
Many Venezuelans are too busy standing in line for scarce food and basic goods. 
 
Maduro has declared a state of emergency and given his military sweeping powers over food production and distribution. 
 
Venezuela has sunk into crisis as global prices for its main export, oil, have collapsed. 
 
Its economy is facing its third year of deep recession this year. Its inflation rate is the highest in the world, forecast to top 700 per cent this year. 
 
The economic tailspin is threatening 17 years of socialist rule under Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. 
 
The opposition won legislative elections in December, only to find its power stymied by the Supreme Court, which it says is also in Maduro&#39;s pocket. 
 
(AFP)

According to National Electoral Council, Maduro's opponents had cleared 200,000 valid signatures to call referendum

Venezuela's opposition gathered enough signatures to proceed with efforts to call a referendum on removing President Nicolas Maduro, electoral authorities said Monday, without setting a date for the next step. The head of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, told a press conference Maduro's opponents had cleared the threshold of 200,000 valid signatures on a petition demanding the leftist leader face a recall referendum. The opposition blames Maduro for an economic implosion that has seen food shortages, hyperinflation, violence and looting erupt in the once-booming oil giant. The council did not set a date for the next stage of the lengthy recall process, in which the opposition must collect four million signatures in just three days. In a boost to the Maduro camp's claims of rampant fraud, Lucena said the authorities had detected more than 1,000 apparently falsified signatures. The opposition submitted 1.8 million signatures in May calling for Maduro to face a recall, 1.3 million of which were accepted by the council. Signatories then had to show up at electoral offices to validate their identity with fingerprint scans. The threshold was one per cent of the electorate, or roughly 200,000 signatures which the opposition cleared. "The certification will be granted by the (CNE) secretariat," Lucena said. That enables the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), to formally request a recall vote. However, Lucena said more than 1,000 fingerprint scans did not correspond with the signatory's identity, more than 400 were repeats and nearly 200 people tried to register more than once. "The electoral authority will ask the state prosecutor's office to investigate the potential usurpation of identity committed by some citizens," she said. A recent poll found 64 per cent of Venezuelans would vote to remove Maduro. But to get there, the opposition first has to collect another four million signatures in three days, at a yet-to-be-decided time. To win the ensuing recall referendum, Maduro's opponents would need more votes than he won the presidency with in 2013 around 7.5 million. Time appears to be on the president's side. His allies have an arsenal of possible delaying strategies. They have filed more than 8,000 legal challenges against the recall petition and called on the electoral authorities to ban MUD for alleged fraud. The opposition is racing to force a referendum by January 10, the cutoff date to trigger new elections four years into the president's six-year term. After that date, a successful recall vote would simply transfer power to Maduro's hand-picked vice-president.US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Venezuela not to stall. "The Venezuelan constitution guarantees Venezuelans the right to have their voices heard through the referendum process. And we call on Venezuela`s authorities to allow this process to go forward in a timely and a fair manner, and not to play a game of delay," he said in Washington. MUD, a motley coalition of opposition parties, accuses the electoral authority of being in bed with Maduro. They are hoping pressure from Venezuelans desperate over the collapsing economy will force the government's hand. But MUD has struggled to rally mass protests. Many Venezuelans are too busy standing in line for scarce food and basic goods. Maduro has declared a state of emergency and given his military sweeping powers over food production and distribution. Venezuela has sunk into crisis as global prices for its main export, oil, have collapsed. Its economy is facing its third year of deep recession this year. Its inflation rate is the highest in the world, forecast to top 700 per cent this year. The economic tailspin is threatening 17 years of socialist rule under Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. The opposition won legislative elections in December, only to find its power stymied by the Supreme Court, which it says is also in Maduro's pocket. (AFP)

Venezuela recall clears hurdle, but no date for next step

The Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IACHR) on Friday decried the dire shortages of food and medicine in Venezuela, calling on officials in Caracas to undertake &quot;urgent measures&quot; to try to stem the crisis. 
 
The Washington DC-based group &quot;regrets the urgent situation of extreme scarcity and shortages of medicine, medical supplies and food in Venezuela,&quot; it said in a statement. 
 
&quot;This situation has led to a significant deterioration in living conditions in the country and an increase in violence, which results in harm to people&#39;s health, personal integrity and life, to the detriment of the rights protected by the inter-American and universal human rights instruments,&quot; the commission, an autonomous human rights arm of the Organization of American States, added. 
 
The ongoing crisis &quot;has a negative impact on conditions to guarantee that Venezuelans can live a life of dignity, and it urges the State to adopt comprehensive measures to overcome this crisis,&quot; the IACHR said. 
 
Among the hardships created by the shortages in medical care and supplies are &quot;a significant number of neonatal deaths&quot; and &quot;long waits for critical surgical interventions,&quot; it added. 
 
With respect to food scarcity, the group expressed concern that for many Venezuelans &quot;it is impossible to obtain access to the food needed for an adequate diet.&quot; 
 
Venezuela&#39;s economy is reeling from the global crash in the price of oil, its main export. 
 
The plunge in crude revenues has unleashed a deep recession, chronic shortages and hyperinflation, threatening 17 years of socialist rule under President Nicolas Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

The group expressed concern that for many Venezuelans 'it is impossible to obtain access to the food needed for an adequate diet'

The Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IACHR) on Friday decried the dire shortages of food and medicine in Venezuela, calling on officials in Caracas to undertake "urgent measures" to try to stem the crisis. The Washington DC-based group "regrets the urgent situation of extreme scarcity and shortages of medicine, medical supplies and food in Venezuela," it said in a statement. "This situation has led to a significant deterioration in living conditions in the country and an increase in violence, which results in harm to people's health, personal integrity and life, to the detriment of the rights protected by the inter-American and universal human rights instruments," the commission, an autonomous human rights arm of the Organization of American States, added. The ongoing crisis "has a negative impact on conditions to guarantee that Venezuelans can live a life of dignity, and it urges the State to adopt comprehensive measures to overcome this crisis," the IACHR said. Among the hardships created by the shortages in medical care and supplies are "a significant number of neonatal deaths" and "long waits for critical surgical interventions," it added. With respect to food scarcity, the group expressed concern that for many Venezuelans "it is impossible to obtain access to the food needed for an adequate diet." Venezuela's economy is reeling from the global crash in the price of oil, its main export. The plunge in crude revenues has unleashed a deep recession, chronic shortages and hyperinflation, threatening 17 years of socialist rule under President Nicolas Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. (AFP)

Rights group decries shortage of food, medicine in crisis-hit Venezuela

Superheroes, wizards, and Jedi Knights have descended on the Venezuelan capital.&nbsp;And while they may not be able to save the country from its spiralling economic crisis, fans at Caracas Comic-Con are counting on their heroes to at least help them escape their real-world problems for a while. 
 
For three weekends, through July 31, fans are paying tribute to the worlds of comic books, video games and sci-fi at the 10th Caracas Comic-Con, the local edition of the international pop culture fest.&nbsp;It comes at a time when a punishing recession, food shortages, hyperinflation and violent crime have left Venezuelans desperate for heroes, or even villains, to come to the rescue. 
 
&quot;It gives us space to breathe in the middle of this political situation,&quot; said Jhoan Guzman, a 25-year-old chemist who is today wearing the white face paint and red lipstick of his alter ego: Batman&#39;s arch-enemy, Joker.&nbsp;&quot;This is an alternative to help us forget the world we&#39;re living in, to enjoy ourselves doing something we love.&quot; 
 
Instead of lining up outside the supermarket for basic necessities, attendees flock to a convention hall in a Caracas mall to pay homage to their favourite pop culture phenomena: The Avengers, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pokemon and Game of Thrones, among others. 
 
Some even show up in costume, just like at other Comic-Cons worldwide, chief among them the giant gathering each July in San Diego, though here the get-ups are often cobbled together using whatever materials are at hand.&nbsp;Ann Mary Fayard, a 34-year-old fashion designer, was decked out as Harley Quinn, the Joker&#39;s sidekick, a costume she made from scraps. 
 
&quot;I recycle everything. Whatever cloth is left over, design materials. I save money and tap of my ingenuity,&quot; she said. &quot;I like &#39;cosplay&#39; (costume role-play) because I can let my imagination fly. It&#39;s a way to free your mind of so many problems and spend time doing something else.&quot; 
 
Venezuela is teetering on the brink of collapse, devastated by the global plunge in prices for its main export, oil.&nbsp;President Nicolas Maduro&#39;s government is struggling to contain the crisis, fueling opposition calls for an end to 17 years of leftist rule. 
 
The doom and gloom have not kept self-described &quot;geeks&quot; from shelling out 1,800 bolivars (about $3 at the latest official exchange rate), more than a week&#39;s pay at minimum wage, to attend Caracas Comic-Con.&nbsp;Convention organiser Daniela Paolillo said she expected some 20,000 visitors.&nbsp; 
 
One of the top issues they are talking about, said Paolillo, is when they will be able to play Pokemon Go, the wildly popular video game in which players roam the real world hunting for cartoon monsters with their cell phones.&nbsp;Thyfany Ron, a member of the Pokemon Venezuela fan club, said there is still no local release date for the game.&nbsp;And it is unclear how safe it would be for players in a country with one of the world&#39;s highest rates of violent crime, where smartphone users are frequent targets on the street. 
 
But Comic-Con is a time to forget all that, said Maria Pinto, a 19-year-old psychology student dressed up as Star Butterfly from the animated fantasy series &quot;Star vs the Forces of Evil&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;We&#39;re living in times of crisis, but we&#39;re looking for a way to free ourselves and shed that stress,&quot; she said. 
 
(Reuters)

It comes at a time when a punishing recession, food shortages, hyperinflation and violent crime have left Venezuelans desperate for heroes

Superheroes, wizards, and Jedi Knights have descended on the Venezuelan capital. And while they may not be able to save the country from its spiralling economic crisis, fans at Caracas Comic-Con are counting on their heroes to at least help them escape their real-world problems for a while. For three weekends, through July 31, fans are paying tribute to the worlds of comic books, video games and sci-fi at the 10th Caracas Comic-Con, the local edition of the international pop culture fest. It comes at a time when a punishing recession, food shortages, hyperinflation and violent crime have left Venezuelans desperate for heroes, or even villains, to come to the rescue. "It gives us space to breathe in the middle of this political situation," said Jhoan Guzman, a 25-year-old chemist who is today wearing the white face paint and red lipstick of his alter ego: Batman's arch-enemy, Joker. "This is an alternative to help us forget the world we're living in, to enjoy ourselves doing something we love." Instead of lining up outside the supermarket for basic necessities, attendees flock to a convention hall in a Caracas mall to pay homage to their favourite pop culture phenomena: The Avengers, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pokemon and Game of Thrones, among others. Some even show up in costume, just like at other Comic-Cons worldwide, chief among them the giant gathering each July in San Diego, though here the get-ups are often cobbled together using whatever materials are at hand. Ann Mary Fayard, a 34-year-old fashion designer, was decked out as Harley Quinn, the Joker's sidekick, a costume she made from scraps. "I recycle everything. Whatever cloth is left over, design materials. I save money and tap of my ingenuity," she said. "I like 'cosplay' (costume role-play) because I can let my imagination fly. It's a way to free your mind of so many problems and spend time doing something else." Venezuela is teetering on the brink of collapse, devastated by the global plunge in prices for its main export, oil. President Nicolas Maduro's government is struggling to contain the crisis, fueling opposition calls for an end to 17 years of leftist rule. The doom and gloom have not kept self-described "geeks" from shelling out 1,800 bolivars (about $3 at the latest official exchange rate), more than a week's pay at minimum wage, to attend Caracas Comic-Con. Convention organiser Daniela Paolillo said she expected some 20,000 visitors. One of the top issues they are talking about, said Paolillo, is when they will be able to play Pokemon Go, the wildly popular video game in which players roam the real world hunting for cartoon monsters with their cell phones. Thyfany Ron, a member of the Pokemon Venezuela fan club, said there is still no local release date for the game. And it is unclear how safe it would be for players in a country with one of the world's highest rates of violent crime, where smartphone users are frequent targets on the street. But Comic-Con is a time to forget all that, said Maria Pinto, a 19-year-old psychology student dressed up as Star Butterfly from the animated fantasy series "Star vs the Forces of Evil". "We're living in times of crisis, but we're looking for a way to free ourselves and shed that stress," she said. (Reuters)

Superheroes, wizards descend on Venezuela to fight economic crisis

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