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Venezuela crisis: Maduro's state of

emergency 'constitutional'
2 hours ago

Latin America & Caribbean

REUTERS

Vice-President Aristobulo Isturiz (R) said President Maduro (L) would not be ousted by a
referendum because "there will be no referendum"

The Venezuelan Supreme Court has ruled that a decree

issued by President Nicolas Maduro last week declaring
a state of emergency is constitutional.
The decree gives Mr Maduro extra powers to deal with

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Venezuela's economic crisis, including the right to impose

tougher security measures.
The opposition-controlled parliament rejected the decree on
Tuesday.
But the Supreme Court, which rarely rules against the
government, said the decree was justiable.
The court upheld the decree because of what it called "the
extraordinary social, economic, political, natural and ecological
circumstances that are gravely aecting the national economy."

AFP

Some Venezuelan supermarkets are now guarded by soldiers, as prices rise

and consumers are squeezed

What has gone wrong in Venezuela?

On Friday, President Maduro declared a state of
emergency for 60 days, accusing the business elite of
boycotting the economy and the United States of plotting a
coup against his socialist government.
In measures published in the government gazette on Monday,
the armed forces and local committees now have powers to
distribute and sell food.

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Authorities will also be allowed to cut the working week in the

private sector, as they have done in the public sector, to
conserve electricity.
The new measures also allow the government to take control of
basic goods or services, which analysts say opens the way to
the expropriation of companies.

Opposition calls
The opposition has rejected the new measures and is pushing
for a referendum to removed Mr Maduro from power.
They began the process two weeks ago by handing in a petition
signed by 1.85m people.
But Venezuela's Vice-President Aristobulo Isturiz has ruled out
the possibility of a recall referendum against Mr Maduro.
Many Venezuelans blame Mr Maduro for the economic crisis
the country is experiencing.
Its economy contracted by 5.7% last year and is expected to
shrink further this year. Ination is at 180%, according to ocial
gures, and there are shortages of medicines and basic food
items.

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