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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 24 January 2018

Maduro to seek re-election as Venezuela eyes vote by April

varian revolution decide." tions on him and six other would be Venezuela's
Maduro, 55, said he hoped top officials. "Nobody is go- fourth election since a July
the opposition would com- ing to come and give us les- vote installing a consti-
pete in the election even sons or tell us what to do.... tutional assembly con-
as ongoing negotiations The Venezuelan people demned internationally as
in the Dominican Repub- have the right to choose a naked power grab.
lic between the two sides their own destiny." According to Venezuela's
have so far failed to reach While Cabello, the presi- constitution a new six-year
an agreement. The oppo- dent's main internal rival, presidential term must be-
sition has been using those didn't explicitly endorse gin in January 2019. While
talks to push for guarantees Maduro he praised him as elections can be held any
that voting will be free and the hand-picked successor time before then, voting
fair. of the late Hugo Chavez typically is held in the final
"Don't go running," he and said that the revolution three months of the year to
taunted his opponents dur- would face no obstacles avoid an extended transi-
In this Aug. 4, 2017 photo, Venezuela's Constitutional Assembly ing the rally. "Don't aban- settling on a single candi- tion.
poses for an official photo after being sworn in, at the National don Venezuela's democ- date. Speculation has been
Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela. On Jan. 23, 2018, the assem- racy." "We're not going to have growing in recent weeks
bly ordered presidential elections by April 30. Earlier Diosdado Cabello, any problem," Cabello said that elections would be
(AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) the No. 2 leader of the Unit- to thunderous applause held earlier to take advan-
ed Socialist Party of Ven- during Tuesday's raucous tage of divisions within the
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) tion be held by the end ezuela, told government session of the constitutional opposition, which has been
— Venezuelan President of April — months ahead
struggling to capitalize on
Nicolas Maduro said Tues- of when presidential vot- loyalists that voting was the assembly. Electoral growing discontent with
The
National
best way to counter criti-
day that he's ready to seek ing has traditionally taken
re-election as the ruling so- place. cism by the administration Council must now set the Maduro.”If our people are
of U.S. and others that Ven-
date for the upcoming given the right to decide,
cialist party pushes forward "I'm a humble worker,"
voting in a bid to consoli- Maduro told journalists at a ezuela is descending into presidential vote, which they will have to leave.”q
dictatorship.
date its power in the face rally to commemorate the
of a devastating economic 60th anniversary of the end "If the world applies sanc-
tions, we'll apply elections,"
crisis. of Venezuela's last military
Maduro's comments came dictatorship. "I will accept said Cabello, referring to
Monday's decision by the
a short while after the pro- the presidential candidacy
government constitutional if that's what the social and European Union to impose
financial and travel restric-
assembly ordered the elec- political forces of the Boli-
Lawyers ask judges not to jail Brazil's Lula

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) reads. "It is necessary that ment was purportedly to be
— Lawyers for Luiz Inacio higher courts discuss the is- payment for favors, includ-
Lula da Silva asked a group sue and the consequences ing contracts with state-run
of judges not to arrest the of the penalty are extract- oil giant Petrobras.
former Brazilian president in ed only then." Da Silva denies owning
case his conviction on cor- Prosecutors and the head the apartment, saying he
ruption and money laun- of the court have said da never had a key to it, nev-
dering charges is upheld Silva should not be arrested er slept there and visited it
Wednesday. immediately if judges up- only once.
A defense document filed hold the conviction, which He said he will keep abreast
Monday night and seen by could prevent the former of the decision on his ap-
The Associated Press shows president from running peal from his home in Sao
da Silva will also appeal to in October's presidential Bernardo do Campo, on
higher courts if his sentence election. Da Silva is cur- the outskirts of Sao Paulo.
of 9½ years in prison is not rently leading all polls for He is first expected to travel
annulled. the vote. to the southern city of Porto
"On the off chance that all Judge Sergio Moro ruled Alegre on Tuesday to thank
requests made (to annul last year that construction thousands of people who
the sentence) are reject- company OAS prepared have set up camp near the
ed, we ask the defendant and renovated a beach- courthouse to support his
to be assured of his right front apartment in the city claim of innocence. Thou-
to appeal to higher courts of Guaruja that was intend- sands of anti-leftist activists
in liberty," the document ed for da Silva. The apart- are also camped nearby.