Page 12 - AT

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 6 January 2020
Guaido blocked from Venezuela's congress as impasse deepens

Associated Press turned against Guaidó
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) amid accusations they
— Venezuelan opposition used their position to enrich
leader Juan Guaidó was themselves and do the bid-
violently blocked Sunday ding of Maduro.
from presiding over a spe- Guaidó faces a bigger
cial session of congress challenge articulating a
where rivals tried to install fresh vision for removing
a substitute in what was Maduro.
condemned as a hijacking "The big question for this
of the country's last demo- year is whether Guaidó will
cratic institution. be able to use his waning
As a scuffle broke out with political strength to guide
security forces in riot gear, his coalition through such
the U.S.-backed leader a rocky period," said Geoff
tried unsuccessfully to Ramsey, a researcher at
mount an iron fence sur- the Washington Office on
rounding the neo-classical Latin America. "Opposi-
palace where the opposi- tion unity is already fray-
tion-controlled National As- ing at the edges, and the
sembly was set to elect its armed forces appear less
leader for the final year of likely than ever to abandon
its 2015-2020 period. Maduro."
Inside, the situation was Guaidó declared presiden-
similarly rowdy, as a rival Pro-government lawmakers hold up their fists and shout that Chavez lives, referring to late Ven- tial powers over Venezu-
ezuelan President Hugo Chavez, as the session to elect new leadership is delayed due to some
slate headed by lawmak- opposition lawmakers being blocked from entering the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezu- ela on Jan. 23, 2019, saying
er Luis Parra tried to swear ela, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020. Maduro's reelection was
themselves in as legislative Associated Press illegitimate because the
leaders with the support of most popular opposition
socialist deputies loyal to Nacional — the country's ing allies of Maduro. from entering the legisla- parties and political lead-
President Nicolás Maduro. last major opposition news- On Sunday, police officers ture. ers had been disqualified
Lacking quorum, there paper. wearing anti-riot helmets Support for Guaidó inside from running.
was no vote for Parra, the Guaidó faced a major test and flanked by metal barri- the opposition has taken Venezuela sits atop vast
opposition said. Guaidó's in uniting the opposition cades initially blocked sev- a hit after several minor- oil and mineral resources,
allies, who despite some and articulating a new vi- eral lawmakers and pro- ity parties in November but it has been imploding
defections still enjoy a sion Sunday in his year- opposition journalists from splintered off to create a economically and social-
comfortable majority in the long campaign to remove reaching the legislature in separate bloc to negoti- ly in recent years. Critics
167-seat assembly, imme- Maduro. But his re-election downtown Caracas. ate directly with Maduro — blame the plunge on years
diately denounced the im- for a second straight year Amid bouts of shoving and something that Guaidó has of failed socialist rule and
promptu session as invalid. as head of congress — the political sloganeering, se- refused, arguing that talks corruption, while Maduro's
"This is nothing more than source of his legitimacy in curity forces demanded are simply a time-buying allies say U.S. sanctions are
another blow to our consti- the eyes of more than 50 that each lawmaker pres- exercise aimed at keeping taking a toll on the econ-
tution," said Guaidó, whose countries that recognize ent their credentials, argu- Maduro in power. omy. The South American
blue suit was ripped during him as Venezuela's rightful ing they were under orders The small group of opposi- nation's 30 million people
the chaotic fisticuffs. leader — had been widely to deny entry to several tion lawmakers who broke suffer soaring inflation and
Still, state TV — a mouth- expected. lawmakers banned from with Guaidó argue that in shortages of gasoline, run-
piece for Maduro — cele- The weeks leading up to carrying out their duties by stubbornly sticking to his ning water and electricity,
brated the initiative, raising Sunday's vote were marked the loyalist supreme court. plan of removing Maduro, among basic services.
the possibility of rival claims by tension, with the opposi- "Is your family in Venezu- he has put his political am- An estimated 4.5 million
to the legislature's leader- tion denouncing a covert ela?" Guaidó asked the bitions above the needs Venezuelans have aban-
ship in the days ahead, government campaign to young police officers, who of Venezuelans who have doned their nation in an ex-
just as Guaidó a year ago intimidate and bribe law- stood firmly in nervous si- largely tuned out from the odus rivaling war-torn Syria.
asserted that he was Ven- makers into voting against lence. political fight while endur- Maduro, who took over af-
ezuela's interim president Guaidó. "Today you're complicit ing an economy in sham- ter the 2013 death of former
following Maduro's 2018 re- Parra is one of a small with the dictatorship, you're bles and under stiff U.S. President Hugo Chávez,
election following a cam- handful of lawmakers who complicit with those who sanctions. says Guaidó is a puppet of
paign marred by irregulari- recently broke with Guaidó are responsible for the hun- "In 2019 you represented the United States. Maduro
ties. and have since been ex- ger inside Venezuela," he the hopes of the nation, also says he's determined
Guaidó said lawmakers pelled from their parties for added. He was eventually but today you're its biggest to win control of the Na-
would gather later Sunday alleged involvement in a allowed though the police deception," said José Brito, tional Assembly in elections
at the headquarters of El corruption scandal involv- line, but was then blocked one of the lawmakers who later this year. q

Bolivia set to hold May 3 vote for new president, congress

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — An President Evo Morales and on Monday. The elections would be held. Morales re- ernment led by Jeanine
official for Bolivia's new the interim administration will choose a president, signed in November after a Áñez then assumed power.
election court said Friday that followed. Court Vice vice president and mem- wave of protests fed by ac- Morales' Movement To-
a new government will be President Óscar Hassent- bers of Congress and the cusations his backers had ward Socialism party is the
chosen in elections set for eufel said the full electoral Senate. If nobody wins on a rigged an Oct. 20 election. country's largest current
May 3 to replace ousted calendar will be revealed first round, a second round A conservative interim gov- political faction.q