Roundup: Venezuelans struggle over signature-collecting for presidential recall referendum

Both government supporters and opponents staged new protests in Venezuela on Wednesday, two weeks before the official collection of signatures with which the opposition seeks to activate a presidential recall referendum.

The opposition coalition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), which insists that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro step down through constitutional means, called upon crowds to gather at the 1,356 geographical points stipulated by the electoral authorities to collect signatures from 20 percent of the electorate (3,893,127 people) in order to trigger a referendum.

At the gatherings, the opposition developed a timetable that consisted of the swearing-in of volunteers that will participate in the signature-collecting on Oct. 26, 27 and 28.

Moreover, opposition leaders will travel across the South American country from Thursday on to raise awareness of the event, said President of the National Assembly Henry Ramos Allup.

Supporters of Maduro's socialist government, who insist that it is impossible for the referendum to be held in 2016, also took to the streets in the center of the capital Caracas, while the South American country was celebrating the Day of Indigenous Resistance, which commemorates the indigenous struggle against European invasion and colonization.

During his speech, Maduro, who proposed activating a "decolonization plan," reiterated that the opposition is implementing destabilizing plans, forcing his administration "to strengthen the Bolivarian government and the military and political high command."

Maduro called upon the public "to define the battlefields of the 21st century, saying: "It is not time for betrayals."

"There isn't anything that they (the opposition) wouldn't try against our country because Venezuela is a jewel in the crown of North American (United States) imperialism in South America," said the Venezuelan president.

Maduro also said that despite all the economic and social difficulties the Caribbean country is currently experiencing, his management team is still working to recover and develop the productive sectors alongside the Venezuelans.

According to information released by the electoral authorities a few days ago, the results of the signature collection will be announced between Nov. 28 and 29, along with a decision on whether the referendum will be held. Endi