Roundup: Gov't supporters see new constitution as way out from violence in Venezuela

Members of the Presidential Commission for the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) in Venezuela and government officials see a new constitution as a way out from the violence-gripping the country.

During a rally to support the ANC in Caracas, constitutional lawyer Hermann Escarra said Venezuela is in "a delicate situation of possible uncontrollable violence," pointing to the many clashes seen during protests since early April.

President Maduro has signed an executive order that will form the ANC -- a body that could make changes in the constitution and allow for the reshaping of the current legislative body, as well as redefine the president's executive powers.

"Dialogue has run out as it is stalled and we must take this to the next stage, namely the ANC," he said.

For Escarra, the ANC has emerged as an answer to the impasse between the government and the opposite Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD).

He said that the ANC will take dialogue "to the next level" as the electorate will choose new political representatives who will help to draft the new constitution. They will be elected through universal, direct and secret ballot.

"We need to take dialogue to the next level and the people need to pick the representatives," explained Escarra.

He also hailed the fact that the Venezuelan army is joining the ANC talks, as recently announced by President Nicolas Maduro.

"I applaud and support the proposals. Soldiers are citizens in uniform and play a role in the country's democratic development," said Escarra, adding the ANC was the chance to listen to and revise the projects of all political parties to define common goals.

On May 1, Maduro announced the creation of a 500-member constituent assembly, which will draft the 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.

However, the MUD has rejected any chance of joining the ANC, seeing it as a violation of the constitution and a power grabbed by Maduro.

The opposition bloc continues to demand general elections, the release of over 100 political prisoners and the opening of a humanitarian channel into Venezuela.

On Sunday, its leader Henrique Capriles said in a video address that "the Democratic Unity...will not go to Miraflores (the presidential palace)."

He attacked the president and said that "there is a constitution here. If the government wants to overrule it through forces, it is wrong."

"If Maduro insists on calling for a constitutional process, the Venezuelan people must decide in a referendum," he added.

In an interview with Xinhua this week, Education Minister Elias Jaua said that the government's goal is to overcome the deep political divisions that have polarized the country.

Jaua, who also heads the Presidential Commission, said that the process of electing the constituents and drafting the new constitution should "generate a great national debate on how to overcome the hostilities that exist in our society, and establish the minimum bases for political and social coexistence (and) mutual recognition."

He also said that the government would respect the public will, adding that "the plurality of the National Constituent Assembly will be guaranteed." Endi