Venezuela president grants himself sweeping legislative powers

World Today

Venezuela’s legislature granted expanded powers to President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday. The president says he needs these powers in order respond to recent U-S sanctions. CCTV’s Martin Markovits filed this report.

Highlights:

  • Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro, was granted sweeping powers that will allow him to pass legislation for the rest of 2015 without congressional approval.
  • Maduro chastised US President Barack Obama at a rally on his recent executive order declaring Venezuela a US national security threat.
  • Washington says the Maduro government is using the US as a scapegoat to deflect the public’s attention from Venezuela’s deep economic problems.
  • The country has the highest inflation in the world along with widespread shortages of basic goods.