Venezuelan President Maduro attempting to rewrite constitution

World Today

Venezuelan President Maduro attempting to rewrite constitution

Thousands are demonstrating against the government of President Nicolas Maduro, who is now pushing ahead with a plan to rewrite the country’s constitution. This comes as people are struggling to cope with severe shortages of food and medicine.

CGTN’s Juan Carlos Lamas reports.

In the middle of a massive street protest, Venezuelan President Maduro formalized his petition for a new Venezuelan constitution.

Maduro said he was left with no choice but to call a Citizens’ Assembly to bring peace to Venezuela.

Government supporters gathered outside the headquarters of the electoral board in Caracas to support their president.

“The Opposition was asking for a citizens’ assembly two years ago, but now they don’t want one because they only want to destroy our country,” one woman said.

While the electoral board authorities agreed to start the process of arranging for elections for the citizen’s assembly, opposition demonstrators marched towards the headquarters of the National Assembly.

The Venezuelan Opposition said now more than ever it has reasons to protest against what it calls a dictatorial government, whose purpose, they said, is to keep itself and the president himself in power.

For more than a month the opposition has called its supporters to protest nearly every day.

It has been firm in its demands – to open a channel to distribute food and medicine, to restore the National Assembly’s constitutional powers, to set a timetable for elections and to free political prisoners.

The Opposition said it will not let up the pressure while regional governments say they’re considering sanctions.

Even so, President Maduro has so far refused to budge on Opposition demands and the political crisis in Venezuela continues to escalate.