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Venezuelan president's supporters, opponents stage fresh protests countrywide

Xinhua, September 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

A week after mass protests in the Venezuelan capital Caracas, forces for and against the government staged fresh demonstrations across the country on Wednesday.

Rallies held by supporters of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and the opposition coalition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) were both on smaller scales compared to the massive protests staged on Sept. 1.

The MUD rallies, held in the country's 23 states and the capital district, sought to pressure the National Electoral Council (CNE) to speed up the procedure to call a recall referendum against President Nicolas Maduro.

In response, the PSUV marched "in defense of peace" and against the MUD's moves which, according to the PSUV, were attempts to destabilize the country.

Speaking ahead of the opposition march, Jesus Torrealba, executive secretary of the MUD, urged the CNE to rapidly provide a start date for the collection of signatures of 20 percent of the electorate -- around 4 million people -- needed to trigger the referendum.

CNE Director Socorro Hernandez said the electoral authorities are due to provide details on Tuesday on the timeline of the referendum process, adding that the collection of signatures was being planned.

Torrealba called on all machines to be working at all polling stations, so that all may have the opportunity to validate the signatures.

Despite the MUD's pressure, the PSUV has stated that it would be technically unviable to hold the referendum this year and that the MUD is stirring up violence to attempt a coup against Maduro. Endi