Off the wire
• 1st LD Writethru: Hillary Clinton projected to win 4 out of 5 primaries  • Aussie man caught speeding also found with illegal cigarettes worth 230,000 USD  • 1st LD: China's industrial profits growth quickens in March  • Indian stocks open lower  • Afghan Taliban confirm leaders' visit to Pakistan  • Aussie border protection staff banned from stike action over national security fears  • Scientists outline measures to cut New Zealand's growing GHG emissions  • Spotlight: Outcome in Iraq would have been different had Hillary Clinton, others voted against war: UK expert  • 1.3 mln Brazilians sign up to support removal of parliament speaker  • Tokyo stocks fall in morning on jitters ahead of central banks' meetings  
You are here: 　 Home

Venezuela's opposition gets paperwork to start drive to oust Maduro

Xinhua, April 27, 2016 Adjust font size:

Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) on Tuesday agreed to deliver a document to opposition leaders that allow them to activate a recall referendum against President Nicolas Maduro.

The decision formally begins the recall referendum process, in which Venezuelans will be asked whether or not to remove Maduro from office.

In order for the referendum to go forward, the opposition coalition Democratic Unit Roundtable must collect signatures from 1 percent of the country's electorate -- about 200,000 people, and then must request another petition drive in which it must gather the required 4 million signatures.

The CNE had previously rejected three times the opposition's request for documents necessary to start the process.

Last week, a group of opposition legislators chained themselves to the CNE's headquarters in Caracas, demanding the necessary papers.

Maduro, 53, who is under fire over a deepening economic crisis in Venezuela, has sworn that he will not be forced out and accused the opposition of seeking a coup against him. Maduro's term of offices ends in 2019. Endi