CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuela’s opposition vowed Monday to press forward with its bid to recall President Nicolas Maduro this year and promised street demonstrations should the government continue to stymie the vote.
After holing up in a posh hotel over the weekend debating how to respond to elections officials torpedoing what has been their main political effort – ousting Maduro and holding new elections – opposition leaders emerged defiant.
“The recall referendum will happen this year, and any attempt to block it will be quashed in the streets,” Jesus Torrealba, secretary-general of the Democratic Unity coalition of three dozen opposition parties.
He called for nationwide protests Oct. 12 as well as daily small-scale demonstrations against what he termed “unconstitutional” conditions put on the recall effort.
Venezuela is in terrible shape. Two-thirds of voters say in polls they want Maduro gone amid worsening shortages and inflation. It seems like the job of the opposition would be easy.