Govt supporters storm National Assembly, claim opposition is trying to stage a coup

Record ID: 84130

  • Title: Govt supporters storm National Assembly, claim opposition is trying to stage a coup
  • Date: 23rd October 2016
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF DEPUTIES SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
  • Embargoed: 7th November 2016 21:16
  • Keywords: National Assembly Hector Rodriguez trial referendum recall protest violence
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA00255870W3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stormed Sunday's (October 23) opposition-led National Assembly session in which lawmakers vowed to put Maduro on trial for violating democracy, days after authorities nixed a recall referendum against the unpopular leftist president.
    The measure is unlikely to get any traction given the government and a compliant Supreme Court have systematically undermined the legislature, but it marked a further escalation of political tensions in the crisis-hit OPEC nation.
    The session was briefly interrupted when around 100 apparently pro-government protesters stormed in, brandishing Socialist Party signs and shouting "The Assembly will fall!" before officials herded them out.
    At least one assembly worker was injured, sporting visible bruises to his head. The opposition also said there were reports of theft.
    The opposition coalition, seeking to end 17 years of socialism in the South American nation, says Thursday's suspension of its drive for a plebiscite against Maduro shows Venezuela has abandoned democracy.
    Ruling party officials accuse the opposition of fraud in their signature drive and say the coalition is seeking a coup to gain control of Venezuela's vast crude reserves, the world's largest.
    "They have made us waste time today in a crude attempt to stage a coup, like in Brazil, like in Paraguay, like in Honduras. In Venezuela, we do not have the conditions for them to stage a coup," said ruling party lawmaker Hector Rodriguez.
    Likening Maduro to former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and Peru's authoritarian ex-president Alberto Fujimori, opposition lawmakers also vowed to replace deans at the electoral council and judges on the Supreme Court, though that too is unlikely to see the light of day.
    It was not immediately clear how the Democratic Unity coalition was seeking to put Maduro on trial during the special session that lasts through Tuesday.
    Venezuela has plunged into an unprecedented economic crisis, with shortages of food, medicine and basic products.
    Many Venezuelans fear preventing the referendum increases chances of social unrest in the already volatile and violent country.
    Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader, is currently on a four-day foreign trip to seek consensus on supporting oil prices. He has seen his popularity tumble as the recession worsens three years on from the death of his mentor Chavez.
    Even former 'Chavista' strongholds in the slums have turned against Maduro, and the opposition frequently claims discontent runs deep among some in the top brass.
    The opposition coalition has called for a major peaceful protest on Wednesday, dubbed "The takeover of Venezuela".
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