Politics
12:24, 20-Jul-2017
Venezuelan protesters block streets ahead of planned general strike
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Venezuela's opposition parties are planning a 24-hour general strike on Thursday, following an unofficial vote on Sunday in which more than seven million people signaled their rejection of President Nicolas Maduro's plan to create a constituent assembly with the power to rewrite the constitution.
The opposition-controlled parliament has also approved a measure to name new Supreme Court judges, among other moves. Opposition leaders have said they hope that will put an end to Maduro’s plans for a constituent assembly and force him to schedule presidential elections.
CGTN’s Juan Carlos Lamas reports that the international community has become increasingly critical of Maduro, and the US is threatening to impose severe economic sanctions on several members of his government.
After more than three months of near-daily anti-government protests, and with the opposition calling for a general strike on Thursday, the political upheaval in Venezuela has clearly yet to play out.