Most Venezuelan opposition party leaders meet over new Constitution
Xinhua, May 8, 2017 Adjust font size:
Some 17 Venezuelan opposition parties met here on Monday with a presidential commission tasked with putting together a constituent assembly to draft a new Constitution.
"We thank everyone here for accepting this invitation for the peace of our country and for listening," the commission's president and Education Minister Elias Jaua told party leaders and representatives.
"You will make your observations, critiques, input, and we will take it into account to strengthen debate," added Jaua.
Absent from the gathering was the right-wing coalition known as MUD, which is boycotting the initiative. Prior to the meeting, the government called on the MUD to join the multiparty dialogue.
On Monday, the MUD led another anti-government protest, the latest in a string of often violent marches and demonstrations that have left nearly 40 people dead since April, including bystanders.
On May 1, President Nicolas Maduro announced the creation of a 500-member constituent assembly which will draft a new Constitution in a bid to break the political deadlock between his ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and the opposition-controlled Congress, where the MUD holds a decisive majority. Endit