VENEZUELA-CAPRILES/ Venezuela's government is in terminal decline, says opposition leader Capriles

Record ID: 567147

  • Title: VENEZUELA-CAPRILES/ Venezuela's government is in terminal decline, says opposition leader Capriles
  • Date: 14th January 2015
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JANUARY 14, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER HENRIQUE CAPRILES ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE AND SITTING DOWN REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER, HENRIQUE CAPRILES, SAYING: "It has ended, the project, the dream that you all had. That which you all called revolution has ended." CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER, HENRIQUE CAPRILES, SAYING: "It is time that the people of Venezuela raised their voices, it is time for the people to speak out. All the conditions are there for the people to speak out and to speak out with force." CAPRILES ADDRESSING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER, HENRIQUE CAPRILES, SAYING: "The government must respect the constitution and start to act in accordance with the constitution, act how it is supposed to act, or we will announce, with full right to do so, that we are ending up in an uncontrollable situation." CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 29th January 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAAVR72H21NYDABX3J9C8500LYL
  • Story Text: Nicolas Maduro's socialist government is in a state of terminal decline, said Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles on Wednesday (January 14).
    Addressing the media on the economic crisis in the oil producing country, Capriles called on the population to raise their voices and take action.
    The opposition leader, who is also governor of the country's second most populated state, Miranda, gave no details, however, of actions his party would take to combat the crisis.
    His focus was rather on mobilising the population to take a stand. Capriles added that the leader of the coalition of opposition parties, Jesus Torrealba, would shortly announce in the streets the plans for such action.
    "It has ended, the project, the dream that you all had. That which you all called revolution has ended," said Capriles on Wednesday, representing opposition voices which argue that 15 years of socialism under Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez are to blame for Venezuela's economic crisis.
    "It is time that the people of Venezuela raised their voices, it is time for the people to speak out. All the conditions are there for the people to speak out and to speak out with force," said Capriles.
    Venezuela is currently suffering a recession, with the highest inflation rates in Latin America, and a severe lack of goods which has led to large queues to buy basic goods.
    The shortages have hurt President Nicolas Maduro's popularity which, according to local pollster Datanalisis, hit 22 percent in December.
    But Maduro, who won the election to replace Chavez last year, says a wealthy elite and opposition activists encouraged by Washington and foreign media are carrying out an "economic war" involving hoarding and price-gouging.
    Another leading figure of the opposition, Leopoldo Lopez, imprisoned for over a year for having incited anti-government protests, has also called for his supporters to take to the streets in order to achieve "urgent political change".
    Last year's protests left 43 dead and are, according to the Banco Central, a primary factor in the current economic situation.
    Capriles echoed this demand for political change on Wednesday, saying that the country's situation is in danger of developing out of control.
    "The government must respect the constitution and start to act in accordance with the constitution, act how it is supposed to act, or we will announce, with full right to do so, that we are ending up in an uncontrollable situation," said Capriles.
    Both Capriles and Lopez called for their supporters to respect the constitution when carrying out their protests.
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