... Opposition pushing for Maduro’s removal
THE THREE killings in Venezuela on Wednesday bring to eight the death toll since protests began three weeks ago over the Supreme Court’s decision to strip the opposition-controlled congress of its last remaining powers, a move that was later reversed amid a storm of international criticism.
As protesters with burning eyes headed home, the opposition called for another round of street demonstrations on Thursday.
“If today we were millions, tomorrow even more of us need to come out,” said opposition governor and two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, who last week was barred from running for office for 15 years.
The Supreme Court’s decision has energized Venezuela’s fractious opposition, which had been struggling to channel growing disgust with Maduro over widespread food shortages, triple-digit inflation and rampant crime.
Opponents are pushing for Maduro’s removal through early elections and the release of scores of political prisoners. The government last year abruptly postponed regional elections the opposition was heavily favoured to win and cut off a petition drive to force a referendum seeking Maduro’s removal before elections late next year. The opposition sees the government measures as turning Venezuela into a nearly full-blown dictatorship. But the government hasn’t backed down. Maduro, addressing supporters at a much smaller but still large countermarch of mostly state workers, said he was “anxious” to see elections take place sometime “soon” and repeated his call for dialogue, something many in the opposition see as a stalling tactic.
“Today they attempted to take power by force and we defeated them again,” said Maduro, adding that in recent hours authorities had rounded up several armed opponents seeking to carry out a coup.
He didn’t provide any evidence to back up the coup claims, and the opposition rejected them as desperate attempt to intimidate Venezuelans from exercising their constitutional right to protest.
As tensions have mounted, the government has used its almost-complete control of Venezuela’s institutions to pursue its opponents. On Wednesday alone, more than 500 protesters were arrested nationwide, according to Penal Forum, a local NGO that provides legal assistance to detainees. It was unclear how many people remained in custody.
Foreign governments are also warning about the increasingly bellicose rhetoric coming from the government. The US State Department said those who commit human-rights abuses and undermine Venezuela’s democratic institutions would be held accountable.
“We are concerned that the government of Maduro is violating its own constitution and is not allowing the opposition to have their voices heard, nor allowing them to organise in ways that expresses the views of the Venezuelan people,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters Wednesday.