Venezuela’s opposition claims to have enough signatures to initiate the first phase towards a referendum which, if the polls are correct, could threaten President Nicolás Maduro’s leadership.
So far, 98% of nearly 408,000 signatures gathered by the Democratic Unity (MUD) coalition, enough to trigger the initial phase of a referendum, had been validated. Opposition leaders are demanding the election board set a date for the collection of 20% – about 4m signatures – needed next to trigger the actual referendum. The election board is investigating claims of identity fraud.
The timing is crucial. If Maduro were to lose a referendum in 2016, it would trigger a presidential vote, giving the opposition a chance to end 17 years of socialism. But if the referendum took place in 2017, and he was defeated, he would be replaced by the vice-president, maintaining the Socialist party in power until the country’s next election in 2018.
Maduro has blamed the crisis on drops in global oil prices, a drought cutting the country’s main power source, and an economic war waged by rightwing opponents. The opposition says that the economic policies of Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez, are responsible.
If you live in Venezuela, we’d like you to share your thoughts and experiences of President Nicolás Maduro with us. We’ll use a selection of responses in our reporting,
