- Title: Defiant Maduro addresses supporters after legislature launches trial against him
- Date: 25th October 2016
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (OCTOBER 25, 2016) (REUTERS) VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO ARRIVING AT EVENT SOLDIERS APPLAUDING VARIOUS OF MADURO AND WIFE ON STAGE WAVING AT CROWD AUDIENCE CHANTING IN SUPPORT OF MADURO (UNINTELLIGIBLE) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO, SAYING: "It is an assembly with only one objective and that is to damage Venezuela. Let me tell you that we will not allow a parliamentary coup of any kind who don't know about the law here." VARIOUS OF MADURO WITH OFFICIALS AT EVENT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO, SAYING: "It (assembly) prefers to keep up the imperial interests of the Pentagon's southern command which is obsessed with destroying Venezuela. But not even Obama could take on Venezuela, which wants peace, dignity and sovereignty." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT EVENT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO, SAYING: "Let it be known that Venezuela is on the list today, tomorrow and forever. Whoever governs the United States should be made to respect (Venezuela)." VARIOUS OF MADURO AT EVENT
- Embargoed: 9th November 2016 22:05
- Keywords: Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro opposition National Assembly
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA00155I8FUV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: President Nicolas Maduro blasted Venezuela's opposition-led National Assembly for heeding to U.S. interests after it voted on Tuesday (October 25) to open a political trial against the president for violating democracy.
The OPEC member nation's political stand-off has worsened since last week's suspension of an opposition push to hold a referendum to try to recall Maduro, 53.
With that avenue closed, the opposition coalition has raised the stakes, using its power base in congress to begin legal action against Hugo Chavez's unpopular successor.
Unlike neighbouring Brazil, where Dilma Rousseff was impeached and removed from the presidency in August, a trial against Maduro would be largely symbolic given the government and Supreme Court have declared congress illegitimate.
Speaking in Caracas, Maduro said the opposition-led Assembly was seeking to damage the country.
"It is an assembly with only one objective and that is to damage Venezuela. Let me tell you that we will not allow a parliamentary coup of any kind who don't know about the law here," he declared.
The opposition has accused Maduro of veering into dictatorship by sidelining the legislature, detaining opponents and leaning on compliant judicial and electoral authorities to block a plebiscite on his rule.
But the president has talked up overtures towards a U.S.-backed coup led by the opposition in Venezuela to oust his Socialist government.
"It (assembly) prefers to keep up the imperial interests of the Pentagon's southern command which is obsessed with destroying Venezuela. But not even Obama could take on Venezuela, which wants peace, dignity and sovereignty," he added.
Noting recent shifts to the right in other Latin American countries, Venezuela's government has said it is the victim of an international conspiracy against socialism led by the United States and fanned by servile foreign media.
It blames a two-year slump in global oil prices and a U.S.-fostered "economic war" for Venezuelans' suffering.
Maduro said that the OPEC nation was on an American list of states to keep on watch.
"Let it be known that Venezuela is on the list today, tomorrow and forever. Whoever governs the United States should be made to respect (Venezuela)," he said.
Polls showed the majority of Venezuelans wanted a referendum on Maduro which he would have likely lost, triggering a presidential election had it taken place this year. But the election board fixed the process, citing court orders after government allegations of fraud in an initial signature drive. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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