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Venezuelan President Calls for New Constitution

Venezuelan President Calls for New Constitution
folder_openAmericas... access_time6 years ago
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Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro called for a new constitution Monday as he fights to quell a crisis that has led to more than a month of protests against him and deadly street violence.

Venezuelan President Calls for New Constitution

The opposition immediately rejected the idea because the body drafting the new charter would not be the result of a popular election but rather be composed of workers and farmers.

Maduro's announcement, to thousands of supporters in Caracas marking May Day, came as security forces sprayed tear gas and water cannon at anti-government demonstrators elsewhere in the capital.

It was likely to sharpen international concerns over Venezuela's adherence to democracy and fears it was slipping over a precipice to civil conflict.

The opposition slammed the tactic as a "coup d'etat" and urged protesters to "block the streets" from Tuesday. It said it was organizing a "mega protest" for Wednesday.

Maduro said he was invoking his power to create a 500-member constituent assembly representing a "working class base" and local councils to rewrite the constitution -- cutting out the Congress.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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