Opposition protests new constituent assembly

Record ID: 905233

  • Title: Opposition protests new constituent assembly
  • Date: 4th August 2017
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 4, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS IN PROTEST AGAINST NEWLY SWORN-IN NATIONAL CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY VARIOUS OF MAN PUTTING ON TEAR GAS MASK OPPOSITION LAWMAKER RICHARD BLANCO IN PROTEST (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION LAWMAKER RICHARD BLANCO SAYING: "MUD (opposition party) is ready in case of any eventuality, outbreaks of violence, social outbreaks-- which we don't want. What we want is to rescue the democracy that is lost because of a dictator that is in Miraflores palace and that doesn't understand that most people want democracy, that most people want to be reunified, reconciliation and for each to put his or her grain of sand to recover the motherland of Bolivar." VARIOUS OF OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS PROTESTING AGAINST NEWLY-INSTALLED NATIONAL CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
  • Embargoed: 18th August 2017 19:55
  • Keywords: opposition activists prepare to protest newly sworn in constituent assembly Venezuela politics crisis
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016SQT4XZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Venezuelan opposition activists gathered on Friday (August 4) to protest the swearing in of the National Constituent Assembly, a new legislative superbody that is expected to rewrite the constitution and give vast new powers to the ruling Socialist Party.
    Demonstrators have for months been clashing with security forces, often building barricades and lobbing rocks at security forces. At least 125 people have been killed in the unrest.
    The 545-member assembly unanimously elected well-known allies of President Nicolas Maduro to its leadership in a show of unity, signalling that the socialists have put aside differences to focus on consolidating the all-powerful body.
    The assembly will function in the same downtown Caracas palace complex as the existing opposition-run congress, which could potentially be dissolved by the new all-powerful body.
    Governments ranging from Latin American neighbours to the United States and European Union have condemned the assembly, with the Vatican making a last minute plea for authorities to suspend it.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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