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Latin America
Related: About this forumVenezuela electoral body suspends referendum drive, opposition fumes
Source: Reuters
WORLD NEWS | Thu Oct 20, 2016 | 10:31pm EDT
Venezuela electoral body suspends referendum drive, opposition fumes
By Corina Pons and Alexandra Ulmer | CARACAS
Venezuela's electoral authority on Thursday suspended the next phase of a recall referendum against unpopular President Nicolas Maduro, sparking outcry from the opposition who accused the Socialist government of dictatorial tactics.
The oil-rich country is mired in a brutal economic crisis that has families skipping meals amid food shortages and triple-digit inflation. Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader elected three years ago to replace late leader Hugo Chavez, has seen his popularity tumble in hand with the recession.
His foes had vowed to push for a recall referendum against him this year, which, if successful would have triggered fresh presidential elections that polls show Maduro would lose.
The election board had already said there would be no such vote this year, and appeared to put the final nail in the coffin on Thursday night.
Citing court orders, the electoral body said in a statement it was suspending next week's signature drive to collect around 4 million signatures and trigger the vote.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Venezuela electoral body suspends referendum drive, opposition fumes
By Corina Pons and Alexandra Ulmer | CARACAS
Venezuela's electoral authority on Thursday suspended the next phase of a recall referendum against unpopular President Nicolas Maduro, sparking outcry from the opposition who accused the Socialist government of dictatorial tactics.
The oil-rich country is mired in a brutal economic crisis that has families skipping meals amid food shortages and triple-digit inflation. Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader elected three years ago to replace late leader Hugo Chavez, has seen his popularity tumble in hand with the recession.
His foes had vowed to push for a recall referendum against him this year, which, if successful would have triggered fresh presidential elections that polls show Maduro would lose.
The election board had already said there would be no such vote this year, and appeared to put the final nail in the coffin on Thursday night.
Citing court orders, the electoral body said in a statement it was suspending next week's signature drive to collect around 4 million signatures and trigger the vote.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-idUSKCN12K2US
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Venezuela electoral body suspends referendum drive, opposition fumes (Original Post)
Eugene
Oct 2016
OP
Marksman_91
(2,035 posts)1. And rumor has it that Maduro flew out of the country completely unannounced
Maybe just a precaution in case the people (or certain members within chavismo) would rebel and overthrow him if shit hit the fan? This is the official debut of the Chavista regime as a dictatorship, but what's sad is that there's still gonna be nincompoops in this site still defending it.
Bacchus4.0
(6,837 posts)2. Yes, my friend. Sorry to say it looks like they've gone full Cuba. I now worry there won't be a
a next election that involves non-chavista parties or candidates. Its simple, an election means defeat for chavistas.
COLGATE4
(14,732 posts)3. I'm afraid the long-suffering Venezuelan people are going
to have to get used to not having their democracy for a long, long time. As you so aptly put it, they have now "gone full Cuba".
Bacchus4.0
(6,837 posts)4. It's a done deal. The only thing that will
Change it is a military coup.
COLGATE4
(14,732 posts)5. The military is still pretty solidly behind
God-given Hair. Unless he decides it's in his best interest, it's going to take a whole lot more for them to come out of the barracks. Unfortunately.