Brazil Calls Nicolas Maduro's Constitution Move a 'Coup

05/03/2017 - 15h01

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FROM SÃO PAULO

Brazilian Foreign Minister, Aloysio Nunes Ferreira, said on Tuesday (2) that the Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's proposal to convene a constituent assembly to try to resolve the political crisis is a coup.

In a social network, Aloysio said that the constituent will not be free because the voters "are organizations controlled by Maduro and will result in a Constitution that reflects what he wants." "It is another moment of rupture of the democratic order, contrary to the country's own Constitution."

The process, unleashed on Monday (1st), provides for the election of 500 representatives, with at least 200 of them coming from community councils, controlled by "Chavismo", and would not have the participation of formal parties.

The measure was considered a coup by the opposition, which called for further protests. National Assembly President Julio Borges said that the president "is dissolving democracy".

In addition to the chancellor, other countries considered that the Chavist government has once again broken the Constitution.

The Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, said that the convening of the Constituent Assembly should be submitted to a referendum to have value, which is not provided for by law.

Translated by MARINA DELLA VALLE

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