Most Venezuelans Reject Maduro's Bid for New Constitution After Deadly Unrest

Most Venezuelans Reject Maduro's Bid for New Constitution After Deadly
Unrest
Reuters, Newsweek • June 10, 2017

President Nicolas Maduro's plan to rewrite the constitution is opposed
by 85 percent of Venezuelans, according to a survey by polling company
Datanalisis carried out as protests calling for presidential elections
grew increasingly intense.

In the poll, conducted between May 29 and June 4, 85 percent of
respondents agreed with the statement: "There is no need to change the
current constitution. What the government should do is enforce it."

Maduro, 54, has called a July 30 election to choose lawmakers who will
then work on the new charter, calling it a way to restore peace after
two months of anti-government unrest that has killed 67 people.

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However, opposition parties say they will not take part in the election,
which could dissolve the current, opposition dominated parliament. The
proposal has run into rare criticism from within the government's own ranks.

Opposition supporters attend a rally against Venezuelan President
Nicolas Maduro's government, in Caracas, Venezuela June 9. Reuters

The opposition says the vote is a sham designed purely to keep him in
power and with rules skewed in favor of the government. They want to
bring forward the next presidential vote due at the end of 2018.

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The poll was posted on the website prodavinci.com, where largely
anti-government articles are posted, and confirmed by Datanalisis' head
Luis Vicente Leon, who has been a strong critic of President Nicolas Maduro.

Datanalisis did not reveal the number of participants, saying the
interviews were done by telephone with families from a range of economic
backgrounds. Maduro's government has been put under pressure by two
months of often violent opposition street protests that have led to at
least 67 deaths, thousands of injuries, hundreds of arrests and
widespread destruction.

Protesters gathered again on Saturday for a march dubbed "towards victory."

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Maduro calls violent protesters "terrorists" who are seeking to topple
him with the help of the United States and other foreign powers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday called the situation in
Venezuela "concerning," in comments the government decried as
interference that would fuel opposition violence.

Maduro's approval rating in the poll was 21.9 percent, including people
who considered his performance as president, not bad, good and very good.

Source: Most Venezuelans Reject Maduro's Bid for New Constitution After
Deadly Unrest -
https://www.yahoo.com/news/most-venezuelans-reject-maduro-apos-194422899.html