Law granting Maduro expanded powers takes effect in Venezuela

A law went into effect Monday in Venezuela, granting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expanded powers to fight "growing aggression from the United States government."

The Anti-Imperialist Enabling Act, published Monday in the Government Gazette, grants Maduro the right to rule by decree through Dec. 31, to ensure "independence, sovereignty ... territorial integrity and national self-determination."

To that end, the law expedites measures to "protect against interference from other States in the internal affairs of the Republic, warmongering or any other internal or external act that aims to violate the peace, public tranquillity and operation of democratic institutions."

The new law also seeks to strengthen Venezuela's alliances with other Latin American countries by creating "coalitions that consolidate regional sovereignty, to safeguard the dignity of all the peoples of the continent."

The law was approved by the National Assembly on Sunday, with a majority vote of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela ( PSUV), as a direct consequence of heightened U.S. rhetoric against the Maduro administration.

Last week, U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order saying "the situation in Venezuela ... constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat."

Over the weekend, the 12-member Union of South American Nations held an emergency meeting to demand Washington revoke the strongly- worded statement and accept a proposal to dialogue from the Venezuelan leadership. Endite