- Title: Venezuela prosecutor: constituency assembly means more government abuses
- Date: 25th July 2017
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JULY 25, 2017) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** VENEZUELA CHIEF PROSECUTOR LUISA ORTEGA ARRIVING TO NEWS CONFERENCE ORTEGA GREETING AUDIENCE AT NEWS CONFERENCE GENERAL VIEW OF ORTEGA STANDING AT LECTERN AND SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE ORTEGA SPEAKING TO MEDIA FROM LECTERN (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELA STATE PROSECUTOR LUISA ORTEGA SAYING: "If there's a constituent assembly it's because they're going to draft a new constitution. And if they're going to change this overly liberal constitution, they're going to change it because what's looming over Venezuela, of the inhabitants of this country, of its citizens, is a form of justifying abuses, the illegitimate loss of liberty, breaking and entering without a warrant, jail for everyone who was opposed to the constituent assembly." VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS AND MEDIA ON STAGE AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELA STATE PROSECUTOR LUISA ORTEGA SAYING: "To the people of Venezuela, in the face of severe persecution, in the face of abuses of power, in the face of irregularities that are driven by the political power; I want you to know that I'm with you, the people of Venezuela." GENERAL VIEW OF AUDIENCE AT NEWS CONFERENCE APPLAUDING ORTEGA PEOPLE ON STAGE OF NEWS CONFERENCE APPLAUDING ORTEGA ORTEGA WALKING OFF STAGE AT NEWS CONFERENCE GENERAL VIEW OF END OF NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 9th August 2017 00:13
- Keywords: Venezuela constituency assembly Prosecutor Luisa Ortega constituency assembly vote July 30 vote Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro turmoil
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016R7WG1V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Venezuela's chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega told a news conference in Caracas on Tuesday (July 25) that she stood with the "people of Venezuela" ahead of a controversial constituent assembly vote in a country wracked by political turmoil.
Ortega, who has been called on to resign by Maduro-supporters, has emerged as an outspoken government critic despite still being a member of the socialist party. She told her supporters that the proposed constituent assembly and its powers to change the constitution would herald in new government abuses and the curtailment of freedoms.
The government says the new constituent assembly, to be voted on this Sunday (July 30), will bring peace to the divided nation. But the opposition says the move is designed to cement government rule in Venezuela.
The OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) nation is wracked by shortages in food and medicine, a flailing economy and rampant crime. Government protests that have raged on for months have killed some 100 people. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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