Page 11 - ATODAY
P. 11
WORLD NEWS A11
Friday 4 March 2016
Venezuela opposition picks strategy to oust President
FABIOLA SANCHEZ tion won a landslide victory National Assembly President Henry Ramos Allup, of the opposition, speaks to journalists at the
Associated Press in legislative elections in National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, March 3, 2016. Venezuela’s opposition co-
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) December, and promised alition has decided on a triple-barreled strategy to oust President Nicolas Maduro before the end
— Venezuela’s opposition to find a way to remove of his term.
coalition has decided on Maduro from power within
a triple-barreled strategy the first half of 2016. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
to oust President Nicolas The opposition has for years
Maduro before the end of been riven by internal divi- ernment’s rushed appoint- the court with government Maduro’s approval ratings
his term. sion and several factions ment of 13 high court jus- supporters. have languished in the 20
The opposition will simulta- have been advocating dif- tices last year, which critics A recall referendum is no percent range for most of
neously pursue a constitu- ferent strategies for getting saw as an attempt to pack sure thing either, though his term. q
tional amendment, a recall rid of Maduro. All have po-
referendum and a cam- tential downsides.
paign to push for the res- One plan is to seek a con-
ignation of the embattled stitutional amendment cut-
socialist president, said op- ting presidential terms from
position leader Americo De six to four years, effectively
Grazia. ending Maduro’s term
The coalition of more than But many fear that would
a dozen mostly centrist po- be overturned by the Su-
litical parties reached the preme Court, which has
agreement on strategy af- never ruled against the
ter a long day of meetings executive branch since
Wednesday. Maduro’s mentor, Hugo
“We can’t commit suicide Chavez, won the presiden-
by having just one card in cy in 1999.
our hand. Common politi- Last month, the court over-
cal sense tells us we need turned the one decision
to pursue several strate- Congress has made since
gies,” he said. being sworn in — a vote to
Coalition spokesman Jesus deny Maduro emergency
Torrealba was expected powers to death with the
to officially announce the economy.
plan on Thursday. On Tuesday, the Supreme
Maduro’s six-year-term Court banned Congress
ends in 2019. The opposi- from investigating the gov-
Honduras:
Gunmen kill indigenous leader
FREDDY CUEVAS Organizations of Honduras,
Associated Press group said at least two as-
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras sailants broke into a home
(AP) — Honduran indig- and shot Caceres to death
enous leader Berta Ca- early Thursday in the town
ceres, who won the 2015 of La Esperanza.
Goldman Environmental “Honduras has lost a brave
Prize for her role in fighting and committed social ac-
a dam project, was mur- tivist,” Membreno said in a
dered Thursday. statement.
Caceres, a Lenca Indian The killing appeared to be
activist, targeted:
had previously complained A Mexican rights activist at
of receiving death threats the house was only slightly
from police, soldiers and lo- wounded in the attack, but
cal landowners because of Caceres’s body had four
her work. gunshot wounds.
Tomas Membreno, a mem- Police said they had de-
ber of her group, the In- tained a suspect, but did
dian Council of People’s not identify the person.q
