Maduro seeks more powers to confront US 'aggression'

[brooklynite]

Source: Al Jazeera

President Nicolas Maduro has sought special decree powers from Venezuela's parliament in response to new US sanctions, sparking alarm among critics of his socialist administration.

"I've come to ask for an Enabling Law to confront the aggression of the most powerful country in the world, the United States, against this beautiful nation," Maduro said during a speech to the National Assembly on Tuesday. "This is a law that will prepare our country, may we never be caught off guard."

Maduro did not specify the powers that the law would grant him or say exactly how he would apply them.

He also announced that the military would stage exercises around Venezuela on Saturday to ensure that the "Yankee boot" can never touch the South American oil country.

Read more: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/03/venezuela-maduro-seeks-powers-sanctions-150310181117857.html

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. Can anyone say Marshall Law?

If as expected the government-controlled National Assembly approves his request for an Enabling Law, it would be the second time the 52-year-old successor to Hugo Chavez has gained these expanded powers since winning election in 2013.

Opposition lawmaker Elias Matta accused the government of using the US spat as an excuse to ask for decree powers they had long planned to request due to fear of losing control of the National Assembly as some pollsters say they might.

"The government is taking advantage of this situation with the United States ... they'd already planned this," he said. "But a majority-led assembly can also strike down laws."

Other authoritarian regimes must be so proud to have VZ join them.

[RufusTFirefly]

2. Anyone who does, shouldn't. The term is martial law

This is marshal law (and even then, it's one "l" not two)

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. I stand corrected. Thanks so much.

[Comrade Grumpy]

3. "...sparking alarm among critics of his socialist administration."

[Archae]

4. Keep it up, Maduro.

Prove we are right, that you're incompetent and power-mad.

[Tarheel_Dem]

6. Of course I agree with you, but I think the sanctions were a gift to Maduro. He was going down.....

in flames, with a 22% approval rating. I'm not sure why the adminstration chose this time to impose new sanctions, unless they are secretly rooting for the Maduro government.