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WORLD NEWS Thursday 4 May 2017

Venezuela’s Maduro starts constitution rewrite amid protests

HANNAH DREIER it will introduce legislation
JOSHUA GOODMAN providing humanitarian
Associated Press assistance to Venezuela
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) while toughening sanc-
— Thousands of protest- tions against corrupt offi-
ers were met with plumes cials, according to Senate
of tear gas in Venezuela’s aides who spoke on condi-
capital Wednesday, just tion of anonymity.
miles from where President The legislation, a copy of
Nicolas Maduro delivered which was obtained by
a decree kicking off a pro- The Associated Press, also
cess to rewrite the troubled instructs the intelligence
nation’s constitution. community to prepare a
Surrounded by top-ranking partly unclassified report
socialist officials, a com- on Venezuelan govern-
bative, riled-up Maduro ment officials’ involvement
told supporters dressed in corruption and drug traf-
in red outside the Nation- ficking. Four people were
al Electoral Council that killed in the mounting tur-
the constitutional assem- moil overnight. Two died
bly was needed to instill when the bus they were
peace against a violent traveling in flipped when
opposition. it tried to avoid a barri- Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro waves to supporters outside the National Electoral Council
“I see congress shaking in cade set up by protesters, headquarters (CNE) in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, May 3, 2017. Maduro delivered a decree
its boots before a constitu- according to opposition kicking off a process to rewrite the troubled nation’s constitution.
tional convention,” he said, activists who live near the (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
referring to the opposition- accident site in Carabobo least 34 the number of peo- through in 1999 by his pre- for this year and a presi-
controlled legislature. state. A third person was ple who have died in the decessor and mentor, dential election that was
A short distance away, killed during looting at a unrest over the past month. the late President Hugo to be held in 2018. Opinion
national guardsmen shop in the industrial city of Hundreds more have been Chavez. polls have suggested the
launched tear gas at Valencia and a motorcy- injured. Opposition leaders called socialists would lose both
demonstrators who tried clist died after being struck Driving the latest outrage the planned constitutional elections badly at a time of
marching toward the Na- by a car trying to swerve is the decree by Maduro assembly a ploy to keep widespread anger over tri-
tional Assembly. away from a protest, the to begin the process of re- Maduro and his allies in ple-digit inflation and short-
“The repression has start- chief prosecutor’s office writing Venezuela’s consti- power by putting off re- ages of food and other
ed,” said Miguel Pizarro, an said. The deaths bring to at tution, which was pushed gional elections scheduled goods.q
opposition congressman,
as clouds of white tear gas Brazil court frees politico appealing corruption case
swirled near him. “That’s
how those who want to MAURICIO SAVARESE mer President Luiz Inacio cently opened negotia- vestigations and that the
maintain a dictatorship Associated Press Lula da Silva, should be re- tions to sign a plea bargain alleged crimes were com-
with violence act.” SAO PAULO (AP) — Bra- leased, and only sent back deal, also filed a request on mitted long ago.
The latest push by Maduro zil’s Supreme Court has to prison if the full court up- Wednesday for his release The decision to free Dirceu
to settle an increasingly ordered the release of a holds his conviction. in Brazil’s top court. led to bitter words between
deadly and contentious former presidential chief of The 71-year-old Dirceu was The court said Judge Ser- Justice Gilmar Mendes
political crisis comes as the staff convicted in a major serving a 31 year sentence gio Moro, who sentenced and prosecutors handling
Trump administration warns corruption investigation, a for corruption, money-laun- Dirceu, should adopt alter- the multinational probe of
it might impose more sanc- decision that anti-graft cru- dering and association with natives to jail, such as elec- corruption focused on the
tions on Venezuelan offi- saders say could open the a criminal organization. He tronic monitoring bracelet state-run oil giant Petro-
cials and members of the door to freedom for other has been in prison since a prohibition that Dirceu bras.
U.S. Congress are pushing prominent political figures 2015. leave his home on the out- Mendes accused prosecu-
the administration to act caught in the so-called Car A date for a ruling on Dir- skirts of Sao Paulo. Supreme tors of trying to pressure
more forcefully to rein in Wash probe. ceu’s appeal has not been Court justices said there’s judges to maintain impris-
Maduro. A five-judge panel ruled set. little chance that the for- onment for Dirceu, who
On Wednesday, a biparti- 3-2 Tuesday that Jose Dir- Former Finance Minister mer chief of staff could was hit with new charges
san group of senators said ceu, who served under for- Antonio Palocci, who re- interfere in the current in- filed on Tuesday.q