happiness ChikwanhaVenezuelan President Nicolas Maduro proposed holding early parliamentary elections as a way to defuse the country’s political crisis.
“Let’s see who gets the most votes! Let’s find a political, constitutional and democratic path forward,” Maduro said at the end of a march on Monday commemorating the anniversary of his re-election on May 20, 2018 to a new six-year term.
He added that he would dedicate all his efforts to secure a “peace agreement” with the opposition, while thanking the Venezuelan people for their struggle and commitment to peace.
Elections for Venezuela’s National Assembly are not due to take place until 2020.
However, the legislative body has been declared in contempt by the Supreme Court, and all its decisions “null and void” after it defied a judicial order to unseat three lawmakers accused of electoral fraud in the December 2015 contest.
Venezuela’s political crisis escalated significantly after National Assembly president Juan Guaido proclaimed himself “interim president” on January 23, immediately receiving the backing of the United States and its allies. — Reuters.
Bongani Ndlovu