Venezuela Opposition Vows Protests, Alleges 'coup'
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published October 22, 2016 | 10:00 AM
CARACAS, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Oct, 2016 ) - A furious Venezuelan opposition Friday vowed mass protests, accusing the Socialist government of staging a coup by blocking its drive for a recall referendum against President Nicolas Maduro.
The center right-dominated 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 in Venezuela," Henrique Capriles, a leading MUD figure, told a press conference, shouting furiously.
"A coup was carried out against all Venezuelans." 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.
The opposition had been gearing up for the last hurdle in the complex process: a massive three-day drive starting next Wednesday to collect signatures from four million voters demanding a recall referendum.
Now that the courts and electoral authorities, which the opposition says are controlled by Maduro, 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 mobilization across the whole country," he said. "We will take Venezuela from end to end. The whole people will be mobilized to restore constitutional order."
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From World
-
NFL will allow players to wear Guardian Cap helmets in games
2 hours ago -
Football: German Bundesliga table
2 hours ago -
Football: Italian Serie A result
2 hours ago -
Football: German Bundesliga results
2 hours ago -
US troops to leave Chad in second African state withdrawal
2 hours ago -
Plastics pollution may be solved without production cap: Canada minister
2 hours ago
-
Biden stalls on menthol cigarette ban fearing Black vote backlash
2 hours ago -
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
2 hours ago -
6,000 French police to welcome Olympic torch amid bonus boost
3 hours ago -
Taiwan hit by several quakes, strongest reaching 6.1-magnitude
3 hours ago -
'Ballistic' Bairstow stars as Punjab pull off record T20 chase
3 hours ago -
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results - 2nd update
3 hours ago