One of the protesters, who shouted
at Juan Guaidó and threw a liquid at him, was wearing the uniform of the
state-owned airline Conviasa, which has been directly hit by US sanctions.
There were also scuffles between the
protesters and supporters of Juan Guaidó, who had gone to the airport to
welcome him.
Lawmakers loyal to Juan Guaidó had
to walk to the airport after the bus they were traveling in was stopped by
police.
Journalists reported being attacked
and having their kit stolen by those who had turned out to boo Juan Guaidó.
His office later said that a
relative who was travelling with him had been held by airport officials, and
had not been seen since.
Meanwhile, without directly naming Juan Guaidó, President Maduro told his
supporters to focus on “defending Venezuela”.
He said at a ceremony that was broadcast on state television: “Let’s not get distracted by
stupidities, by dummies, by traitors to the homeland.”
Nicolas Maduro’s second-in-command Diosdado Cabello also denounced Juan
Guaidó’s three-week tour as a “tourism trip”, and said he did not
expect anything to change after his return.
“He is nothing,”
Diosdado Cabello added.
President Maduro and his officials have threatened Juan Guaidó in the past,
but these threats have, so far, not led to him being harmed or detained.
Despite this being the second time he defied a court-imposed travel ban,
Juan Guaidó was not arrested.
After landing, Juan Guaidó addressed a rally of about 500 people in Caracas,
where he called for renewed protests against the president.
During Juan Guaidó’s visit to the US, President Trump promised to “smash” Nicolas Maduro’s government.
In a chaotic scene, Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaidó has forced his way into the National Assembly (the country’s parliament) building after being stopped by troops. The incident occurred as his rival for the position of parliamentary speaker held a session inside.
Juan Guaido, who was re-elected on January 5 to a second one-year term as head of the opposition-held congress, had pledged to preside over January 7 opening session after security forces blocked him from the building over the weekend to allow allies of President Nicolas Maduro to swear in their own speaker, Luis Parra.
On January 5, security forces blocked him to enter the parliament. He tried
again to break through a cordon on January 7. He and his supporters managed to
push through the riot police. Their arrival prompted pro-government lawmakers
to leave.
Juan Guaidó went on sit down in the Speaker’s chair. He and his supporters
sang the national anthem before he was sworn in as Speaker during a power cut
which forced people to use phone lights.
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro revealed
he had been in talks with the Trump administration for months, even as the US
ramped up its sanctions.
The US is one of more than 50 nations which do not recognize Nicolás Maduro
as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
On August 20, President Maduro said that talks with the Trump administration
had been going on for months.
However, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said the only thing being
discussed was Nicolás Maduro’s departure.
Speaking on TV, President Maduro said: “Just
as I have sought dialogue in Venezuela, I have sought a way in which President
Trump really listens to Venezuela.”
President Donald Trump confirmed on August 20 that his administration was
“talking to various representatives of Venezuela”.
He said: “I don’t want to say
who, but we are talking at a very high level.”
President Maduro had suggested that he authorized the back-channel
discussions.
However, John Bolton cast those contacts in a very different light, tweeting:
“As the President has repeatedly stated,
to end the pilfering of the Venezuelan people’s resources and continued
repression, Maduro must go. The only items discussed by those who are reaching
out behind Maduro’s back are his departure and free and fair elections.”
John Bolton said President Trump’s
aim was to “to end the pilfering of the Venezuelan people’s resources and
continued repression” and that to that end, President Maduro “must
go”.
The US imposed sweeping sanctions
earlier this month aimed at increasing pressure on President Maduro to step
down.
Venezuela has been caught up in a
struggle for power between President Maduro and the leader of the country’s
National Assembly, Juan Guaidó.
Juan Guaidó declared himself interim
president in January, claiming that the elections which brought Nicolás Maduro to power for a second term were fraudulent.
While Juan Guaidó has gained the
backing of over 50 countries he has so far failed to remove Nicolás Maduro from power.
Talks between the two sides hosted
by Barbados and mediated by Norway recently stalled after President Maduro
denounced the opposition for backing the sweeping sanctions imposed by the US.
According to the UN, Venezuela is
suffering one of the worst economic crises in history with a quarter of its 30
million population in need of aid.
More than four million Venezuelans
have left the country over the past years.
Nicolás Maduro’s government has come under
fire by the international community for a number of reasons.
When opposition parties gained a
majority in Venezuela’s National Assembly, the president created a rival body
stacked with his supporters which assumed many of its powers. His 2018
re-election was controversial, and labeled as rigged by his critics, after many
rivals were barred from running or fled the country.
Protests and demonstrations erupted
into violence and were met with a crackdown by authorities which saw civilians
killed.
The US has been a frequent target of
Nicolás Maduro’s anger.
President Maduro has accused the US,
and John Bolton in particular, of trying to kill him, without supplying any
evidence. He claims that his opposition is backed by foreign powers, rather
than a domestic resistance to his authority.
Government officials were the first
target of US sanctions against Nicolás
Maduro’s government – but earlier this year, it brought new restrictions
forward on the state oil company, which is a major player in the national
economy.
That was followed in August by sweeping sanctions that froze all property of the government in the US, and blocks American companies doing business with Venezuela.
A massive power cut has plunged Venezuela into
darkness, with the capital Caracas among the areas affected.
It is believed at least 18 of Venezuela’s 23 states have lost power.
Information Minister Jorge Rodrigues claimed the power cut was caused by an
“electromagnetic attack” and officials were working to restore power.
Earlier this year, Venezuela was hit by a series of power cuts, including
one that affected all 23 states and lasted a week, leading to shortages and
riots.
Another outage in April plunged large swathes of the country into darkness;
however, that lasted hours rather than days.
Sporadic blackouts are common in
Venezuela, where the economy has collapsed amid a political crisis.
President Nicolás Maduro and other
state officials have in the past blamed “terrorism” and opposition
sabotage, often alleging US involvement.
The opposition has said the power
cuts are the result of years of corruption and underinvestment.
Venezuela’s state-owned power
company Corpolec earlier reported that a breakdown had only affected parts of
Caracas.
Opposition leader Juan Guaidó and President Nicolás Maduro have been at
loggerheads since January, when the former invoked the constitution and
declared himself interim president.
Juan Guaidó argued that the elections which had returned Nicolás Maduro to
power for a second term in 2018 had not been free and fair.
Since then, more than 50 countries, including the US and most nations in Latin
America, have recognized Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
However, Venezuela’s military – a powerful force in the country – and
influential allies such as China and Russia have stuck by Nicolás Maduro.
An attempt by Juan Guaidó to get the military to switch allegiance to
him failed, and Venezuela remains in limbo with both men claiming to be the
legitimate president.
Meanwhile, a severe economic crisis has exacerbated and shortages of food
and medicines have grown even more acute.
According to UN figures, 4 million people have fled Venezuela since 2015.
The government blames the shortages on US sanctions but the opposition says
they are down to years of mismanagement.
Preliminary talks between Juan Guaidó and Nicolás Maduro were held in Oslo
in May, but they petered out without an agreement.
However, they resumed earlier this month, with the Norwegian foreign ministry again acting as a mediator.
Members of the Venezuelan government
say they are putting down a small coup attempt after opposition leader Juan
Guaido announced he was in the “final phase” of ending President
Nicolas Maduro’s rule.
He appeared in a video with
uniformed men, saying he had military support.
Juan Guaido, who declared himself
interim president in January, called for more members of the military to help
him end Nicolas Maduro’s “usurpation” of power.
However, military leaders appeared
to be standing behind Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuela’s defense minister
appeared on TV to stress the point. However, pictures from Caracas show some
soldiers aligning themselves with Juan Guaido’s supporters.
Nicolas Maduro’s detractors hope the
military will change its allegiance as resentment grows following years of
hyperinflation, power cuts, food and medicine shortages.
So far, the armed forces have stood
by President Maduro – despite dozens of countries, including the UK, the US and
most of Latin America, recognizing Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s rightful leader.
As a result, John Bolton, the US
national security adviser, said what was taking place in Venezuela was not a
coup, but a legitimate leader trying to take control.
Protesters supporting both sides
have gathered at different points in the capital, Caracas.
There are running clashes between
Juan Guaido’s supporters and armed military vehicles. Protesters were also seen
throwing rocks, but being repelled by tear gas and water cannon.
TV cameras also caught the moment
armored vehicles drove into a crowd but it is unclear if there were any
injuries.
According to El Universal newspaper, at least 37 people had been injured across
Caracas.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said the uprising by
some members of the military had been “partly defeated”, but warned
of possible bloodshed.
He warned: “The weapons of the
republic are here to defend the nation’s sovereignty and independence.”
Vladimir Padrino also revealed one soldier had suffered a bullet wound.
A three-minute video by Juan Guaido was published on April 30. In the video,
he announced he had the support of “brave soldiers” in Caracas.
“The National Armed Forces have
taken the correct decision… they are guaranteed to be on the right side of
history,” he said.
Juan Guaido was filmed alongside
another opposition leader, Leopoldo Lopez, who has been under house arrest
since being found guilty of inciting violence during anti-government protests
in 2014.
Leopoldo Lopez, who leads the
Popular Will party of which Juan Guaido is a member, said he had been freed by
members of the military.
He went on to urge Venezuelans to
join them on the streets.
Meanwhile, Chile’s Ministry of
Foreign Affairs revealed he, his wife Lilian Tintori and their daughter had
entered Chile’s embassy in Caracas to seek protection.
Juan Guaido, the president of the
opposition-controlled National Assembly, has been calling on the military to
back him ever since he declared himself interim president.
He argues that President Nicolas Maduro is a “usurper” because he
was re-elected in polls that had been widely disputed.
The video appeared to have been recorded at dawn in or near La Carlota air force base in Caracas.
Venezuelan troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who
attempted to collect a foreign aid at the border, as President Nicolás Maduro
blocked the humanitarian transport from crossing from Colombia and Brazil.
On February 23, a number of people were shot with live ammunition, human
rights groups say. At least two people were killed.
The opposition wants the aid to go to people hit by the economic crisis, but
President Maduro sees it as a security threat.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the attacks on civilians, which he
blamed on “Maduro’s thugs”.
He said in a tweet following the clashes: “Our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have died due
to these criminal acts. We join their demand for justice.”
Mike Pompeo also described the burning of some of the aid as
“sickening”.
Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan
Guaidó, who has declared himself interim president and helped to organize the
aid, condemned the action by security forces.
Juan Guaidó, who has been recognized
as leader by dozens of nations, will meet Vice President Mike Pence on February
25 in Bogota, Colombia.
Mike Pence is travelling there to
meet leaders of the regional Lima Group, in spite of a travel ban imposed on
him by President Maduro’s government.
On February 23, Juan Guaidó posted a
tweet which implored the international community to be “open to all
options” in order to “liberate” Venezuela from Nicolas Maduro –
who is continuing to resist all calls to stand down.
Juan Guaidó organized the collection
of hundreds of tonnes of foreign aid at the country’s borders. He gave the
government a deadline of Saturday to allow the aid to be brought into Venezuela
or vowed to have volunteers march it in themselves.
In response, President Maduro partly
closed the country’s borders with Brazil and Colombia, citing threats to security
and sovereignty. On February 23, Venezuelans civilians attempted to cross in
order to get to the aid stores, which included food and medicine.
Images from crossing points across
Venezuela showed security forces firing tear gas at volunteers. Protesters
burned outposts and threw projectiles at soldiers and riot police.
Rights groups say at least two
people, including a 14-year-old boy, were shot dead in the clashes in Santa
Elena de Uairen, near the country’s border with Brazil. Another two were reported
to have been killed on February 22.
Amnesty International has described
the use of firearms against protesters as a serious human rights violation and
a crime under international law.
There have also been reports of
several aid trucks being burned – something Juan Guaidó said was a violation of
the Geneva Convention.
At about 19:00 local time on February 23, Colombia’s government estimated the number injured at border crossings to be about 300. Journalists at the scene have reported severe injuries among protesters, including several who appeared to have lost their eyes.
Venezuelan troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who
attempted to collect a foreign aid at the border, as President Nicolás Maduro
blocked the humanitarian transport from crossing from Colombia and Brazil.
On February 23, a number of people were shot with live ammunition, human
rights groups say. At least two people were killed.
The opposition wants the aid to go to people hit by the economic crisis, but
President Maduro sees it as a security threat.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the attacks on civilians, which he
blamed on “Maduro’s thugs”.
He said in a tweet following the clashes: “Our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have died due
to these criminal acts. We join their demand for justice.”
Mike Pompeo also described the burning of some of the aid as
“sickening”.
Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan
Guaidó, who has declared himself interim president and helped to organize the
aid, condemned the action by security forces.
Juan Guaidó, who has been recognized
as leader by dozens of nations, will meet Vice President Mike Pence on February
25 in Bogota, Colombia.
Mike Pence is travelling there to
meet leaders of the regional Lima Group, in spite of a travel ban imposed on
him by President Maduro’s government.
On February 23, Juan Guaidó posted a
tweet which implored the international community to be “open to all
options” in order to “liberate” Venezuela from Nicolas Maduro –
who is continuing to resist all calls to stand down.
Juan Guaidó organized the collection
of hundreds of tonnes of foreign aid at the country’s borders. He gave the
government a deadline of Saturday to allow the aid to be brought into Venezuela
or vowed to have volunteers march it in themselves.
In response, President Maduro partly
closed the country’s borders with Brazil and Colombia, citing threats to security
and sovereignty. On February 23, Venezuelans civilians attempted to cross in
order to get to the aid stores, which included food and medicine.
Images from crossing points across
Venezuela showed security forces firing tear gas at volunteers. Protesters
burned outposts and threw projectiles at soldiers and riot police.
Rights groups say at least two
people, including a 14-year-old boy, were shot dead in the clashes in Santa
Elena de Uairen, near the country’s border with Brazil. Another two were reported
to have been killed on February 22.
Amnesty International has described
the use of firearms against protesters as a serious human rights violation and
a crime under international law.
There have also been reports of
several aid trucks being burned – something Juan Guaidó said was a violation of
the Geneva Convention.
At about 19:00 local time on February 23, Colombia’s government estimated the number injured at border crossings to be about 300. Journalists at the scene have reported severe injuries among protesters, including several who appeared to have lost their eyes.
Moscow has condemned foreign powers
for backing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó who declared himself
interim president, calling it a bid to “usurp power”.
Russia said that the move violated
international law and was a “direct path to bloodshed”.
On January 23, Juan Guaidó declared
himself interim leader – a move recognized by the US and several other nations.
Meanwhile, President Nicolás Maduro,
who retains some other nations’ support, broke off relations with the US in
response.
Nicolas Maduro has been in office
since 2013. He was sworn in for a second term earlier this month, after winning
a May 2018 election marred by an opposition boycott and widespread claims of
vote-rigging.
President Nicolas Maduro’s Istanbul Lunch Sparks Outrage in VenezuelaJuan Guaidó is the head of the National Assembly, who has said articles within Venezuela’s constitution allow him to assume interim power because he believes Nicolas Maduro’s election, and therefore presidency, is invalid.
The opposition leader has vowed to
lead a transitional government and hold free elections.
President Donald Trump recognized
Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s new head of state minutes after his declaration in
the capital, Caracas, on January 23.
President Trump urged other nations
to follow suit – but the move has divided much of the international community.
Seven South American nations, as
well as Canada and the UK, have now backed President Trump’s call.
The EU has stopped short of
recognition, but called for “free and credible elections” and said
Juan Guaidó’s freedom and safety should be respected.
Mexico, Bolivia and Cuba all expressed support for Nicolas Maduro, while
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted: “My brother Maduro! Stand tall, we are standing by you.”
China, a major investor in Venezuela, said it opposed any outside
interference.
Russia sees Venezuela as one of its closest allies in the region. It has
lent billions of dollars and has backed its oil industry and its military.
Russia has also taken part in military exercises in Venezuela.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We
consider the attempt to usurp sovereign authority in Venezuela to contradict
and violate the basis and principles of international law.
“Maduro is the legitimate head of
state.”
A Russian foreign ministry statement said Juan Guaidó’s declaration was a
“direct path to lawlessness and bloodshed”, adding: “Only Venezuelans have the right to
determine their future.
“Destructive outside
interference, especially in the current extremely tense situation, is
unacceptable.”
Russia also warned that any US military interference would amount to “adventurism which is fraught with catastrophic consequences”.
Brazil has expelled Venezuela’s charge d’affaires Gerardo Delgado.
It came days after Venezuela’s decision to expel the Brazilian ambassador to Caracas, Ruy Pereira.
Venezuela said Brazil had acted illegally in impeaching its former left-wing president, Dilma Rousseff.
On December 23, Venezuela also expelled Canada’s charge d’affaires, accusing him of interfering in internal affairs.
On December 25, Canada announced that Venezuela’s Ambassador Wilmer Barrientos Fernández, who was already abroad, would not be allowed to return.
Venezuela’s charge d’affaires in Ottawa, Ángel Herrera, was also asked to leave.
Relations with Brazil have deteriorated since President Michel Temer took office in 2016, following Dilma Rousseff’s dismissal by Congress for fiscal irregularities.
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro described her impeachment as “a right-wing coup”.
On December 23, the head of Venezuela’s powerful Constituent Assembly, Delcy Rodriguez, said that “diplomatic relations with Brazil will not be restored until the government reinstates the constitutional order it has effectively broken”.
The Brazilian government said the move showed “once again the authoritarian nature of President Maduro’s administration”.
Brazil and Canada have both become outspoken critics of President Maduro.
They accuse Nicolas Maduro’s socialist government of harassing the opposition and violating human rights.
Canada imposed sanctions on senior Venezuelan officials a few months ago.
Brazil and Canada were among many countries critical of President Maduro’s decision to convene a Constituent Assembly, which effectively replaced the opposition-controlled National Assembly.
The announcement prompted mass street protests, which killed more than 120 people in four months.
Venezuela’s opposition boycotted the poll in July and also held an unofficial referendum in which they said more than seven million Venezuelans had voted against the constituent assembly.
Nicolas Maduro’s six-year term ends in 2019. He is due to run for re-election in 2018.
Brazilian Ambassador to Caracas Ruy Pereira and Canadian charge d’affaires Craig Kowalik have been expelled by Venezuela’s powerful Constituent Assembly.
The move was announced by the Constituent Assembly President Delcy Rodriguez.
Delcy Rodriguez accused Brazil of violating the rule of law and Canada of interfering in Venezuela’s internal affairs.
Both countries have strongly criticized the move.
The decision to expel Ambassador Ruy Pereira may have been triggered by Brazil’s recent complaint that President Nicolás Maduro was “constantly harassing the opposition”.
Canada imposed sanctions on senior Venezuelan officials a few months ago.
Venezuela’s diplomatic relations with Brazil have deteriorated since Brazil’s President Michel Temer replaced left-wing leader Dilma Rousseff.
Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment was described by Nicolas Maduro as a “right-wing coup”.
Delcy Rodriguez said at a news conference on December 23: “Diplomatic relations with Brazil will not be restored until the government reinstates the constitutional order it has effectively broken.”
In response, the Brazilian government said the move showed once again the authoritarian nature of President Maduro’s administration.
Delcy Rodriguez accused Craig Kowalik of “permanent and insistent, rude and vulgar interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela”.
Relations with Canada have been difficult for months. Earlier this year, Ottawa imposed sanctions on Venezuelan officials for alleged human rights violations and corruption.
Last month, Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said that the sanctions were illegal and accused the Canadian government of “shameful and utter submission to Donald Trump’s administration”.
In response, Canada said to the expulsion of its charge d’affaires by saying it would not be cowed into easing pressure on the Maduro government.
Brazil and Canada were among many countries critical of President Maduro’s decision to convene a Constituent Assembly, which effectively replaced the opposition-controlled National Assembly.
The announcement prompted mass street protests, which killed more than 120 people in four months.
The opposition boycotted the poll in July and also held an unofficial referendum in which they said more than seven million Venezuelans voted against the constituent assembly.
The EU and major Latin American nations have said they will not recognize the new body.
Meanwhile, the US imposed sanctions on President Maduro and the Trump administration labeled him a “dictator”.
Nicolas Maduro’s six-year term ends in 2019. He is due to run for re-election next year.
The opposition has accused President Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, of destroying Venezuela’s economy with their socialist policies.
Venezuela has one of the world’s highest inflation rates and for years has suffered from a shortage of basic goods, including medicines.
Henrique Capriles, one of Venezuela’s opposition leading members, has announced he was leaving the coalition.
The former presidential candidate said the move was in protest at the decision by four newly elected opposition governors to pledge allegiance to the constituent assembly.
The Roundtable for Democracy (MUD) regards the constituent assembly as illegitimate.
The MUD governors were elected in regional polls this month in which the government won 18 out of 23 states.
The outcome of the October 15 elections, which the MUD said were fraudulent – and President Nicolas Maduro’s insistence that all new governors bow to the constituent assembly – has caused a rift among members of the opposition coalition.
On October 24, Henrique Capriles said that he “would not be part” of the opposition MUD “because it is not unity as a concept or a vision”.
“It is just some people that grab the bones that are thrown to them,” he said.
Five MUD governors who won seats opted to boycott a previous event in which 18 newly elected socialist governors were sworn in to the constituent assembly.
However, four of them – the governors for Táchira, Mérida, Nuevo Esparta and Anzoátegui – later changed their stance and pledged allegiance, defying their coalition’s official position.
President Maduro, who has described the election result as a victory, said governors who refused to be sworn in by the constituent assembly would not be allowed to take up office.
The MUD have published what they say is evidence of fraud in the state of Bolívar, where the government candidate was declared the winner after a two-day delay.
Argentine Airlines is the latest carrier to suspend flights to Venezuela.
The carrier said it had concerns over security in Venezuela because of increasing criminal violence and political uncertainty.
Aerolineas Argentinas joins dozens of airlines who have taken similar action.
IATA, the trade body for the world’s airlines, says Venezuela is becoming increasingly isolated.
The body’s vice-president, Peter Cerdá, said last week: “The situation has become increasingly difficult, most of IATA’s members have left Venezuela. There are only six or seven carriers left operating a very low flight frequency.
“Venezuela is becoming disconnected, it’s practically disconnected from the rest of the world, above all by air, and we can’t see any solution in the short term.”
Since 2003 Venezuela has operated a series of currency exchange controls managed by the government.
Airline companies have been attempting for years to change the local bolivar currency it receives when it sells tickets in Venezuela into dollars.
However, the government strictly controls the amount of foreign currency it allows onto the market.
Peter Cerdá said passenger traffic in Venezuela had dropped by 75% in the last four years.
Most of the airlines that have left reported disputes with the Venezuelan government over unpaid contracts and worries over crew safety.
In August 2017, the president of the Panamanian airline Copa, Pedro Heilbron, told AFP that the company would continue to operate in Venezuela despite the difficulties.
He said: “We are becoming practically the only operator in the market but our intention is not to leave, not to abandon the market in Venezuela.”
Pedro Heilbron said Copa crews would not stay the night in Venezuelan cities.
American airlines United and Delta, and the Colombian airline Avianca, suspended flights to Venezuela this year. Lufthansa left in 2016.
Between 2014 and 2015, Air Canada, Aeromexico, Alitalia, Lan, Tam, and Gol suspended their flights to Venezuela.
Venezuela’s controversial constituent assembly has unanimously voted to put opposition leaders on trial for treason.
It said it would pursue those it accuses of supporting US economic sanctions against Venezuela.
The US approved the measures last week in response to what it called the “dictatorship” of President Nicolás Maduro.
Nicolás Maduro has accused the US of trying to cripple Venezuela’s economy amid an ongoing economic crisis.
On August 25, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to ban trade in Venezuelan debt or the sale of bonds from its state oil company.
The president’s reasons included “serious abuses of human rights” as well as the creation of the “illegitimate” constituent assembly, which the US accuses of usurping the democratically elected parliament.
The constituent assembly, which was convened by President Nicolás Maduro and is made up of government supporters, has been condemned by international leaders as unconstitutional.
On August 29, members of the assembly unanimously approved a decree calling for the investigation of “traitors” who supported the economic sanctions.
During the three-hour session, they took turns denouncing those who have been critical of the government in ever more colorful language.
Among those they attacked for allegedly being “engaged in the promotion of these immoral actions against the interests of the Venezuelan people” were not only members of opposition parties but also former supporters of the socialist government.
The sacked chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega, who over the past months has become one of the most vocal critics of the government, came in for particular vitriol.
Constituent assembly member Iris Varela called Luisa Ortega “scum”. She also said that Luisa Ortega “crawled like a worm” and “sold her homeland for a few dollars she stole from this country”.
Luisa Ortega was fired by the constituent assembly in its first session earlier this month and replaced by a loyal government supporter, Tarek William Saab.
She has since traveled to a number of Latin American countries denouncing alleged government corruption in Venezuela.
The head of the opposition-controlled parliament, Julio Borges, was named as “one of the real enemies of Venezuela” for asking US bank Goldman Sachs to stop buying Venezuelan bonds.
Julio Borges reacted by saying that it was time the government stopped looking for others to blame for Venezuela’s economic and political crisis.
“The only one responsible is Maduro and it’s time he takes a look in the mirror and accepts he has ruined Venezuela,” Julio Borges told reporters.
Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel has confirmed that his US tour with Venezuela’s National Youth Orchestra has been canceled.
The star conductor said the cancelation, which came just days after President Nicolás Maduro publicly criticized him, was “heartbreaking”.
In May, Gustavo Dudamel spoke out against President Maduro’s government.
President Maduro replied: “May God forgive you for letting yourself be fooled.”
Gustavo Dudamel, 36, is the music director of both the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela.
He gained further fame by becoming the youngest musician to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic’s annual New Year’s concert in 2017.
Gustavo Dudamel had stayed silent on the politics of his homeland until the beginning of May, when after a month of anti-government protests, he called on the government “to listen to the people”.
As the political crisis in Venezuela worsened, Gustavo Dudamel spoke out again in July, this time in opinion pieces published in the New York Times and Spanish daily El País criticizing the constituent assembly the president had convened.
Image source Wikimedia
On August 18, President Nicolas Maduro responded: “Welcome to politics, Gustavo Dudamel, but act with ethics, and don’t let yourself be deceived into attacking the architects of this beautiful movement of young boys and girls.”
The president referred to the young musicians which form part of Venezuela’s praised musical education program, El Sistema.
Nicolas Maduro also had a dig at the conductor for living abroad: “I don’t live abroad, true. None of us lives abroad, in Madrid or in Los Angeles.
“Where do we live? In Venezuela and we have to work for the Venezuelans.”
On August 21, three days after that public criticism, Venezuelan media reported that the US tour of Venezuela’s National Youth Orchestra under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel had been canceled by the president’s office.
On August 22, Gustavo Dudamel confirmed the reports on Twitter, saying: “Heart-breaking cancellation of our 4-city NYOV US tour.”
No reason for the cancelation of the tour has been given so far.
Some Venezuelan media speculated that the tour was canceled “in revenge” for Gustavo Dudamel speaking out against the government but others pointed out the high cost of transporting the young musicians to the US at a time when the Venezuelan government is running low on foreign currency reserves.
President Maduro is also an outspoken critic of “the imperialist US”, which he blames for many of Venezuela’s problems.
As the crisis in Venezuela continues, talk of the issues escalating into civil war is becoming less far fetched by the day. And certainly, there are plenty of international oars being stuck into the pot – Donald Trump’s in particular. The reality for most of us, however, is that no matter what the news is saying, it’s impossible to get a grip on what is happening on the ground, whichever side you think is in the right.
There is another reality, though – rebel forces are growing, and the kindling for war needs only the slightest spark for things to ignite. Plus, now that President Maduro has won an election, even if you agree with the likes of Smartmatic who claim the ballot was tampered with, the simple fact is that once that constitution is rewritten, it will be challenging to defeat the current leader next time around.
With all this in mind, it’s hardly surprising the election itself was boycotted by the opposition. Given they see it as a phoney election – and with the likes of the United States starting to make less diplomatic noises from the north – it seems sensible that they are doing all they can to avoid legitimizing Maduro and his party. Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Canada are all throwing their two cents-worth, too, so a waiting game is probably the most useful option.
But for anyone that thinks a rebellion and civil war will see a return to a thriving Venezuela, there are a few troubling questions to answer. First of all, why is President Trump taking so much interest in Venezuela right now? And why are we seeing so much about it on the news? Yes, the reports appear to be damaging for the Maduro government, but we are most definitely seeing a one-sided picture. Many other dictators around the world are going about their business in a much more violent manner, to citizens and political opponents alike, with little to no rebuke in the mainstream news. In fact, some of them have been getting arms deals while the likes of Venezuela get sanctions.
Also, there is little talk of who these rebels really are, who they are being backed by, and what their intentions are. And the reality is that when democracies – however shambolic those democracies are – fall, they are generally replaced with something far worse.
President Maduro doesn’t deserve much sympathy, of course, given the huge mistakes the government have made which have resulted in appalling economic performance. And there is no excuse for the kind of bloodshed and violence allegedly carried out by the government. But for the Venezuelan people who will, no doubt, be severely hurt by a civil war, may not be any better off after one, even if Maduro is overthrown. And there are plenty of others with blood on their hands, too, not just government forces and supporters. Should these rebels find themselves in power one day in the not-too-distant future, one wonders what that power might look like.
President Donald Trump has announced he is not ruling out a military option in dealing with the crisis in Venezuela.
The president said: “The people are suffering and they are dying.”
Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said President Trump’s suggestion was “an act of craziness”.
President Nicolas Maduro’s new constituent assembly has been widely criticized as anti-democratic. The US recently imposed sanctions on Nicolas Maduro, branding him a dictator.
President Trump told reporters on August 11: “We have many options for Venezuela, including a possible military option if necessary.
“We have troops all over the world in places that are very far away. Venezuela is not very far away and the people are suffering and they’re dying.”
The White House later said that President Maduro had requested a phone call with President Trump.
In response, the White House said President Trump would gladly speak to his Venezuelan counterpart, when democracy had been restored in the country.
Regional pressure on the Venezuelan government has continued, with Peru ordering the expulsion of the Venezuelan ambassador from Lima after Caracas sent an “unacceptable” response to regional condemnation of its new constituent assembly.
Ambassador Diego Molero has five days to leave Peru, officials say.
The move by Peru’s foreign ministry, announced in a statement on Twitter, follows the condemnation by 11 other major countries in the Americas of Venezuela’s controversial constituent assembly.
The new body has the ability to rewrite the constitution and could override the opposition-controlled parliament, the National Assembly.
In a separate development, Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, a fierce critic of Nicolas Maduro, has urged him to resign, saying he lost any credibility after the election of the new body.
Pablo Kuczynski told Reuters: “He’s a dictator and has carried out a coup through a fraudulent election to eliminate Congress.”
The Peruvian president also rejected an offer from Presidnet Maduro to meet face-to-face.
The Venezuelan opposition, which boycotted the election for the constituent assembly, accuses Nicolas Maduro of trying to cling on to power, which he denies.
Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly said that the new assembly would bring peace to Venezuela.
Violent demonstrations since April have left more than 120 people dead in Venezuela.
Venezuela’s government websites have been hacked in an operation targeting the “dictatorship” of President Nicolás Maduro.
Calling itself “The Binary Guardians”, the hacking group posted messages appearing to support the actions of a group of armed civilians who attacked a military base in the central city of Valencia on August 6.
Meanwhile, President Maduro’s supporters marched in the capital Caracas.
They called for an end to months of opposition protests and unrest.
The hacked sites included the Venezuelan government, the National Electoral Council and the Venezuelan navy.
A message on the main government site made reference to “Operation David”, which Venezuelan media had reported was the codename of the attack in Valencia.
“This dictatorship has its days numbered,” the message added.
The government said it had repelled the attack in Valencia, which was carried out by a group of armed civilians led by a military deserter.
A search was under way for 10 men who escaped with weapons after the attack, President Maduro said.
The assault in the north-western city of Valencia was carried out by 20 people, he said. Two were killed, one was injured and seven were arrested.
Earlier, a video posted on social media showed uniformed men saying they were rising against a “murderous tyranny”.
On state TV, Niclas Maduro congratulated the army for its “immediate reaction” in putting down the attack on August 6, saying they had earned his “admiration.”
The president called the incident a “terrorist attack” carried out by “mercenaries”, and said the security forces were actively searching for those who had escaped.
“We’ll get them,” Nicolas Maduro vowed.
The government said that those arrested included a first lieutenant who had deserted. It said the others were civilians wearing uniforms.
President Maduro said the group had been backed by anti-government leaders based in the US and Colombia.
In August 6 video, a rebel leader who identified himself as Juan Caguaripano, said that his group – which he called the 41st Brigade – was taking a stand against the “murderous tyranny of President Nicolás Maduro”.
“This is not a coup but a civic and military action to re-establish constitutional order.”
Violent demonstrations began in April and have spread across Venezuela which, despite being oil-rich, is experiencing severe shortages of food and medicines, as well as inflation in excess of 700%.
The incident in Valencia came the day after the first session of the newly inaugurated Constituent Assembly, seen by the opposition as a way for the left-wing president to cling to power.
Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly said that the new body will bring peace to Venezuela.
The Constituent Assembly has the ability to rewrite the constitution and could override the opposition-controlled parliament, the National Assembly.
Venezuela’s chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz says she was dismissed by the new constituent assembly because the government wanted to stop her investigations into alleged corruption and human rights abuses.
Luisa Ortega, a supporter turned critic of President Nicolás Maduro, has rejected her dismissal.
She will face trial for “serious misconduct”, the Supreme Court says.
Meanwhile, one of the opposition leaders, Leopoldo Lopez, has been returned from jail to house arrest.
Leopoldo López was taken from his home on August 1 and spent four days in a military jail.
South American regional bloc Mercosur has suspended Venezuela “indefinitely”, having previously placed it under a temporary ban. It says the country will not be re-admitted until the constituent assembly is scrapped and all political prisoners are released.
Another opponent of the government, Antonio Ledezma, is also back under house arrest after three days in jail last week.
Antinio Ledezma and Leopoldo Lopez had encouraged protests against the constituent assembly, which is dominated by government supporters.
In its first session on August 5, the assembly unanimously voted to remove Luisa Ortega from her post.
She was prevented from entering her office in Caracas by dozens of National Guard officers in riot gear, and left on a motorbike amid chaotic scenes.
In a statement released by the public prosecutor’s office, Luisa Ortega said President Maduro’s government was leading a “coup against the constitution”.
“I do not recognize the decision,” she said of her dismissal.
“[This is] just a tiny example of what’s coming for everyone that dares to oppose this totalitarian form of ruling.”
Venezuela’s Supreme Court, loyal to Nicolas Maduro, did not give details of the accusations against Luisa Ortega.
Luisa Ortega, who broke ranks with the government in March, had opposed the assembly’s inauguration on August 4, citing allegations of voting fraud.
Tarek William Saab, a supporter of President Nicolas Maduro, has been sworn in as her replacement.
Luisa Ortega’s removal was widely expected but the fact that it was decided on the first working day of the assembly suggested that the new body could take aggressive measures against President Maduro’s critics, correspondents say.
Mexico, Peru and Colombia have condemned Luisa Ortega’s dismissal.
President Maduro says the constituent assembly is needed to bring peace after months of protests sparked by severe economic hardship.
However, the opposition says it is a way for the president to cling to power.
The constituent assembly has the ability to rewrite the constitution, and could override the opposition-controlled parliament, the National Assembly.
Julio Borges, speaker of the National Assembly, said Luisa Ortega’s removal was illegal and showed that the country’s institutions had been “taken hostage by only one hand, only one political party” through “an undemocratic mechanism that is utterly dictatorial.”
Despite being oil-rich, Venezuela is experiencing severe shortages of food and medicines, as well as inflation in excess of 700%. Violent demonstrations since April have left more than 100 people dead.
President Donald Trump has warned that the US holds Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro “personally responsible” for the safety of the seized opposition leaders Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma.
In a statement, President Trump also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners.
Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma, who had been under house arrest, were taken to a military prison on August 1.
This came after July 30 controversial vote for a constitutional assembly.
At least 10 people were killed, as the opposition boycotted the election.
President Nicolas Maduro said the poll was a “vote for the revolution”, arguing that the move would create peace and foster dialogue by bringing together different sectors of Venezuela’s polarized society.
The opposition said on August 1 that it had decided to hold a demonstration against the new assembly on August 3.
Opposition lawmaker Freddy Guevara tweeted the rally would be held on “the day the dictatorship plans to install the fraudulent assembly”.
It had originally been thought that the government would open the constituent assembly on Wednesday, thereby evicting the opposition-controlled National Assembly.
In his statement, President Trump said the US condemned the actions of the “Maduro dictatorship”.
Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma were “political prisoners being held illegally by the regime”, he added.
“The United States holds Maduro – who publicly announced just hours earlier that he would move against his political opposition – personally responsible for the health and safety of Mr. López, Mr. Ledezma and any others seized.”
Earlier, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson described the re-arrest of Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma as “very alarming”.
“The situation from a humanitarian standpoint is already becoming dire,” he said.
“We are evaluating all of our policy options as to what can we do to create a change of conditions, where either Maduro decides he doesn’t have a future and wants to leave of his own accord, or we can return the government processes back to their constitution.”
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced on July 31 that the US had imposed sanctions on President Maduro.
Leopoldo López was taken from his home at 12:27 local time on August 1, his wife, Lilian Tintori, wrote on Twitter.
A video posted showed Leopoldo López being taken away by members of the Venezuelan intelligence service, Sebin.
The daughter of Antonio Ledezma, Vanessa Ledezma, also posted a video of her father, wearing pajamas, being taken away by the Sebin.
Both Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma were key figures in the wave of protests which swept through Venezuela in 2014 in which 43 people from both sides of the political divide were killed.
They have played a less prominent role in the most recent protests because they have been under house arrest but their video messages still get reported and shared widely on opposition websites.
Venezuelan opposition leaders Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma have been re-arrested in a move condemned internationally.
Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma were under house arrest after accusations of inciting violence during anti-government protests in 2014.
They have been taken to Ramo Verde military jail, family members say.
The Supreme Court, which critics say is dominated by government loyalists, said it had received intelligence reports alleging the two were trying to flee.
The court also said that it had revoked Antonio Ledezma’s and Leopoldo López’s house arrest because they had made political statements.
The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, said he was “deeply concerned” that the pair had been taken back into custody.
The move comes just two days after a controversial vote for a constitutional assembly saw violence on the streets, with at least 10 people killed.
President Nicolás Maduro convened the assembly to rewrite Venezuela’s constitution amid spiraling anti-government protests on May 1.
He argued that the move would create peace and foster dialogue by bringing together different sectors of Venezuela’s polarized society.
However, the opposition accused the president of trying to rewrite the constitution in order to maximize his power and sideline the opposition-controlled legislature.
They boycotted the vote and called on Venezuelans to take to the streets in protest. The election was condemned by Latin American leaders, the EU and the US.
The day of the election was the deadliest so far since the current wave of protest began.
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced on July 31 that the US had imposed sanctions on President Nicolas Maduro and called him a “dictator who disregards the will of the Venezuelan people”.
Leopoldo López was taken from his home at 12:27 local time on August 1, his wife, Lilian Tintori, wrote on Twitter.
A video posted showed Leopoldo López being taken away by members of the Venezuelan intelligence service, Sebin.
Lilian Tintori wrote that she would hold President Nicolás Maduro responsible if something were to happen to her husband.
The daughter of Antonio Ledezma, Vanessa Ledezma, also posted a video of her father, wearing pyjamas, being taken away by the Sebin.
A woman can be heard shouting: “They’re taking Ledezma, they’re taking Ledezma, dictatorship!”
The EU criticized the detentions as a step in the wrong direction and Chile’s foreign minister said they “sent an abysmal signal”.
The US also condemned the arrests. Republican Senator Marco Rubio noted that VP Mike Pence has spoken to Leopoldo López on July 28, and characterized the arrests as a response to the sanctions placed on President Maduro.
Both Antonio Ledezma and Leopoldo López were key figures in the wave of protests which swept through Venezuela in 2014 in which 43 people from both sides of the political divide were killed.
Leopoldo López and Antonio Ledezma have played a less prominent role in the most recent protests because they have been under house arrest but their video messages still get reported and shared widely on opposition websites.
According to Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE), the turnout in the controversial election for a constituent assembly was 41.5%, a figure disputed by the opposition.
The opposition coalition said 88% of voters abstained and it refused to recognize the election. It also called for more protests on July 31.
July 30 election was marred by violence, with widespread protests and at least 10 people killed.
President Nicolás Maduro hailed the poll as a “vote for the revolution”.
Venezuelans were asked to choose the more than 500 representatives who will make up a constituent assembly.
The constituent assembly was convened by Nicolas Maduro to rewrite the existing constitution, which was drafted and passed in 1999 when his mentor, President Hugo Chávez, was in office.
On July 31, the head of the CNE, Tibisay Lucena, announced that there had been an “extraordinary turnout” of more than eight million voters.
She also announced that President Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, was among those elected as representatives, as well as the president’s close allies Diosdado Cabello, Iris Varela and Delcy Rodríguez.
Image source Wikipedia
The announcement was met with outrage and derision by the opposition, who boycotted the vote.
Opposition politician Henry Ramos Allup said their figures suggested fewer than 2.5 million Venezuelans had turned out to vote.
With the opposition boycotting the election from the start and not fielding any candidates, it was always less about who would be elected and more about how many Venezuelans would take part in the voting.
The opposition held an unofficial referendum two weeks before the election asking Venezuelans whether they wanted a constituent assembly at all. According to opposition figures, more than seven million Venezuelans rejected the constituent assembly in that vote.
The opposition urged Venezuelans to stay at home and even some Chavistas (supporters of the socialist movement created by President Hugo Chávez and of which Nicolas Maduro is a part) said they objected to the constituent assembly and would not vote.
There were widespread reports of public sector workers being told by their bosses to go and vote or face being sacked.
How many people turned out was therefore seen as a key indicator of support for the government.
The opposition claims that the figures are unverifiable because a number of procedures which have been in place at previous elections were not followed.
For example, voters’ little fingers were not marked with indelible ink to prevent them from trying to vote multiple times.
There were also no independent observers.
However, Tibisay Lucena said voting had proceeded “normally” and that violent outbreaks at a small number of polling stations had been controlled.
Nicolas Maduro convened the constituent assembly on 1 May amid fierce anti-government protests.
The president argued the constituent assembly would promote “reconciliation and peace”, however he did not give details of exactly how rewriting the constitution would achieve such broad aims.
Government critics fear that President Maduro wants to use the constituent assembly to maximize his power and cling on to it for longer.
As the constituent assembly will be drawing up a new constitution it has the potential to fundamentally change how Venezuela is run.
The last time a constituent assembly met in 1999, the legislature was suspended while the constitution was debated.
The opposition has called for fresh protests on July 31.
On July 30, at least 10 people were killed in protests across the country, prompting opposition leader Henrique Capriles to speak of a “massacre”.
Despite a government ban on protests and the threat of jail terms of up to 10 years for anyone disrupting the electoral process, streets were barricaded and a number of polling stations attacked ahead of the vote.
Tensions are likely to increase further on July 31 and ahead of the swearing-in of the constituent assembly members on August 2.
Venezuela’s National Assembly has appointed 33 judges to the Supreme Court, prompting accusations of an attempted power grab.
The assembly, which is controlled by the opposition, says it has the right to name and fire justices under Venezuela’s constitution.
However, the Supreme Court, which is largely made up of pro-government members, has described the move as illegal.
The opposition is stepping up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to call early elections.
President Maduro has refused and is instead going ahead with plans to form a constituent assembly which would have the power to rewrite the constitution and bypass the National Assembly.
The impasse has left the country in a political crisis and scores of people have died in months of anti-government protests.
Following the National Assembly’s announcement, the government said it would not allow serving judges to be unseated.
Venezuela’s Supreme Court has ordered “civil and military authorities” to carry out “coercive actions” in response to the appointments, but it is unclear what that will entail.
Meanwhile, the opposition Democratic Unity coalition (MUD) has called for protest marches on July 22 from seven points in the capital Caracas to the Supreme Court headquarters.
The opposition says the current justices are illegitimate, having been rushed into their positions shortly before the governing party lost its majority in 2015.
Since the opposition took over the National Assembly last year the court has consistently blocked all bills passed by Congress.
The opposition announced last week that it would appoint new judges and that it would also take the first steps to set up a national unity government. Analysts say such proposals raise the possibility of a parallel state structure.
On July 20, millions of Venezuelans joined a general strike called by the opposition.
At least three people were killed in clashes between police and protesters and there were more than 300 arrests.
Protesters barricaded roads in Caracas and other cities with rubbish and furniture.
The opposition said that 85% of the country joined the strike but President Maduro said its effect was minimal and that its leaders would be arrested.
Meanwhile, Colombia, France, Spain, the US and the EU have urged the Venezuelan government to cancel the vote for a new constituent assembly on July 30.
However, President Nicolas Maduro has rejected the calls.
More than seven million Venezuelan voters have taken part in an opposition-organized referendum in the country, according to academics monitoring the poll.
The referendum result strongly backed opposition to the socialist government’s proposed constitutional changes.
Venezuela remains polarized between supporters of President Nicolas Maduro and the opposition, which wants fresh elections.
A 61-year-old woman was shot dead while queuing to vote in the capital, Caracas.
Cecilia García Arocha, the rector of the Central University of Venezuela, said 6,492,381 people voted within the country and another 693,789 at polling stations abroad. However, the vote has no legal status.
The turnout is slightly less than the 7.7 million people who voted for opposition candidates at the 2015 parliamentary elections. There are 19.5 million registered voters in Venezuela.
Voting Yes or No to three questions, 98% rejected the new assembly proposed by President Nicolas Maduro and backed a call for elections before his term of office ends in 2019.
They also voted for the armed forces to defend the current constitution.
An official vote will be held on July 30 for a new assembly, which would have the power to rewrite the constitution and to dissolve state institutions. However, critics say the new assembly could herald dictatorship.
The July 16 unofficial poll was held in improvised polling stations at theaters, sports grounds and roundabouts within Venezuela and in more than 100 countries around the world.
“They have convened an internal consultation with the opposition parties, with their own mechanisms, without electoral rulebooks, without prior verification, without further verification. As if they are autonomous and decide on their own,” he said.
Nicolas Maduro argues that the constituent assembly is the only way to help Venezuela out of its economic and political crisis.
Opposition leaders fear that the process of setting up a new constituent assembly and rewriting the constitution would almost certainly delay this year’s regional elections and the 2018 presidential election.
They also fear that the constituent assembly would further weaken the National Assembly, Venezuela’s opposition-controlled legislative body.
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has surprisingly praised opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez’s jail release.
Leopoldo Lopez, one of Venezuela’s main opposition leaders, has been moved to house arrest after more than three years in jail.
He left a prison near Caracas and was reunited with his family on July 8.
Leopoldo Lopez Mendoza was serving a 14-year sentence for inciting violence during anti-government protests in 2014, a charge he has always denied. The Supreme Court said he was released on health grounds.
President Maduro said he “respected” and “supported” the Supreme Court’s decision but called for “a message of peace and rectification” in Venezuela.
Hours after being freed, Leopoldo Lopez urged supporters to continue protesting in the streets against Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuela’s opposition and international powers have long pressed for Lopez’s freedom. The head of the Organization of American States regional bloc, Luis Almagro, said the court’s decision offered an opportunity for national reconciliation.
Image source Flickr
Former opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles stressed “he must be given his full liberty together with all political prisoners”, Reuters reported.
Giving a glimpse of his son’s life behind bars, Leopoldo Lopez’s father told Spanish radio “a few days ago they had punished him with solitary confinement without light or water for three days”.
He said his son was now wearing an electronic tag so that the authorities could keep abreast of his movements.
Leopoldo Lopez’s wife had complained that she had not been allowed to see him for more than a month, but on July 7 she tweeted she had been allowed an hour-long meeting.
In May, a government lawmaker published a video of Leopoldo Lopez in his cell following rumors that he had been poisoned and taken to hospital.
In the video, Leopoldo Lopez – a Harvard-educated former mayor who has been prevented by the government from standing for public office – said he was well and did not know why he was being asked to prove he was still alive.
Venezuela has been experiencing a wave of anti-government protests similar to those over which Leopoldo Lopez was jailed.
The opposition is calling for early elections and the release of opposition politicians jailed in recent years, saying the socialist governments of President Nicolas Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, have mismanaged the economy since coming to power in 1999.
Venezuela opposition has set up roadblocks and staged demonstrations demanding elections as the country’s political and economic crisis deepens.
Protesters responded with defiance to President Nicolas Maduro’s call for a new constitution to end unrest that has killed 28 people.
Nicolas Maduro said his move was necessary to fend off a foreign-backed plot against him.
The US said it was a bid to cling to power, while Brazil called it a “coup”.
President Maduro’s opponents want to hold a vote to remove him, blaming the left-wing president for food shortages that have led to rioting.
The president has rejected their calls and issued a presidential decree creating a 500-member “constituent assembly” to rewrite the constitution, a step that would bypass the opposition-controlled National Assembly.
Photo Reuters
Nicolas Maduro announced the step to thousands of his supporters at a May Day rally two days ago.
Elsewhere, security forces deployed tear gas and water cannon at anti-government demonstrators.
Opposition leaders have called for a “mega protest” on May 3.
There has been widespread international criticism of the move.
The head of the Washington-based Organization of American States, Luis Almagro, called it wrongheaded, unconstitutional and fraudulent.
The US state department spokesman Michael Fitzpatrick told reporters: “We have deep concerns about the motivation for this constituent assembly which overrides the will of the Venezuelan people and further erodes Venezuelan democracy.
“What President Maduro is trying to do yet again is change the rules of the game.”
Meanwhile, Brazilian Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes called the move a “coup”.
“It’s another step in breaking the democratic order, which contradicts the country’s own constitution,” he said.
In Venezuela itself, in the opposition-controlled National Assembly, lawmakers voted to reject the new body with many saying President Nicolas Maduro was attempting to sideline the legislature and avoid new elections.
Nicolas Maduro was elected in 2013 to succeed the late Hugo Chavez, a popular figure who introduced wide-ranging social welfare programs.
However, since then, falling prices for Venezuelan oil exports have cut government revenue and there have been shortages of food, baby milk, medicine and other basics.
The IMF has forecast that inflation in Venezuela will be above 700% in 2017.
Presidential elections are due at the end of 2018.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has defended his decision to scrap the nation’s most-used banknote, 100 bolivares.
The 100-bolivar note withdrawal has prompted protests and looting in several states as the supply of ready cash rapidly ran out.
However, Nicolas Maduro said taking millions of notes out of circulation had smashed the black market.
He also decided to postpone the withdrawal until January 2.
Nevertheless, some businesses were reportedly still refusing to accept the 100-bolivar notes, even though they remain legal tender until the New Year.
There were more reports of rioting on December 18. In the western state of Tachira people raided warehouses in search of food.
Many said they were afraid of what would happen next, despite the postponement of the withdrawal.
At the Colombian border there were scuffles as people scrambled to buy food and medicine, which are scarce in Venezuela.
Nicolas Maduro said that Venezuela’s borders with Colombia and Brazil would remain closed until the 100-bolivar note ceased to be legal tender in January, in order to prevent black market trading.
Venezuelans are only allowed to cross the border on foot for family visits.
In a TV address, Nicolas Maduro said that 300 alleged looters had been arrested.
Addressing opposition parties, the president said: “Don’t come and tell me they are political prisoners.”
Nicolas Maduro accused the riot leaders of taking instructions from President Barack Obama, alleging they wanted to engineer a coup against Venezuela’s left-wing government.
State TV showed a plane arriving on December 18 carrying the first batch of replacement notes, the 500-bolivar.
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