Venezuelan opposition holds rally to demand a recall vote on President Nicolas Maduro

Record ID: 102061

  • Title: Venezuelan opposition holds rally to demand a recall vote on President Nicolas Maduro
  • Date: 25th May 2016
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, EGNA MEZERHANE, SAYING: "We are in the street so our presence is felt, to see if a recall referendum is achieved, because the crisis is so extensive it has encompassed all strata of Venezuelan society.'' SIGN THAT READS: "RECALL HUNGER" PROTESTER WITH VENEZUELA FLAG PAINTED ON FACE SIGN HELD UP THAT READS: "THERE IS NOTHING IN VENEZUELA, YES TO RECALL'' MORE OF GATHERING
  • Embargoed: 9th June 2016 17:14
  • Keywords: Maduro opposition rally Torrealba Venezuela recall
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0054JB45KZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Venezuela's Supreme Court in downtown Caracas on Wednesday (May 24) in the latest nationwide rally demanding a recall referendum to end President Nicolas Maduro's socialist rule.
    Opposition leaders have warned that Venezuela is a "time bomb." Spontaneous demonstrations and looting are becoming more common amid worsening food shortages, frequent power and water cuts, and inflation that is the highest in the world.
    While protesters chanted "Recall, Recall," others held up signs, such as one reading: "Venezuela is hungry."
    Jesus Torrealba of the opposition Democratic Unity Coalition (MUD) said holding a recall was the only peaceful solution to the crisis.
    "Dissatisfaction continues to be expressed throughout the country. They (government) cannot paralyse the dissatisfaction simply with a bureaucratic sentence. Here, the only real, peaceful solution, as we want it, is to defer to the sovereign decision,'' Torrealba said.
    The opposition coalition, capitalizing on popular discontent over the economy, won control of the National Assembly in December elections. But all the legislature's measures have been shot down by the Supreme Court.
    The opposition wants a recall referendum against Maduro this year to force a presidential election. But ruling Socialist Party officials say there is no time to organize a vote in 2016 and the election board is dragging its feet on paperwork.
    Last week, Venezuelan security forces fired tear gas at protesters in Caracas, although the demonstrations are still smaller than anti-government protests that turned violent and shook the OPEC country for three months in 2014.
    While Venezuelans are now much angrier at their deepening economic crisis, many are too busy queuing up for scarce food or too fearful of violence to join marches. Others are pessimistic about the chances of a recall referendum.
    Protester Egna Mezerhane said the crisis has affected all social classes in Venezuela.
    "We are in the street so our presence is felt, to see if a recall referendum is achieved, because the crisis is so extensive it has encompassed all strata of Venezuelan society,'' Mezerhane said.
    Maduro, a 53-year-old former bus driver who narrowly won election to replace the late Hugo Chavez in 2013, accuses opposition leaders, including Henrique Capriles, of seeking a coup with the help of the United States.
    Earlier this month, Maduro declared a 60-day state of emergency, widening his powers to sidestep the legislature, intervene in the economy and control the streets, because of what he called U.S. and domestic plots against him.
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