International News

CARACAS, (APP/AFP): Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said
Thursday he would ask the Supreme Court to strike down an amnesty law passed by opposition lawmakers to free those they describe as political prisoners.
The leftist leader, who is fighting off the ascendant opposition’s
bid to force him from power, told a crowd of thousands of supporters in front of the presidential palace he had decided to ask the court to invalidate the “criminal” amnesty bill.
Maduro had until Saturday to sign the bill, send it back to the
legislature for changes or challenge it before the Supreme Court.
In a nationally televised address, Maduro also threatened that if
the National Assembly passes a law to shorten his term — one of the opposition’s strategies to unseat him — he will consider cutting short the legislative term.
“I will evaluate it, in absolute seriousness. I promise the country.
If I see the possibility of clearing out coup-mongering and the use of the National Assembly, I will myself activate it if the people are with me. I promise you that,” he said.
Maduro and the National Assembly have been at each other’s throats
since the opposition took control of the legislature in January.
Fed up with a deep recession, severe shortages and violent crime,
Venezuelans gave the opposition a landslide victory in legislative elections, the biggest challenge yet to the “revolution” launched in 1999 by Maduro’s late predecessor and mentor, Hugo Chavez.
One of the touchiest issues is the 75 opposition figures the amnesty
bill describes as political prisoners, including figures like protest leader Leopoldo Lopez.