CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on Monday a national vote to create a new "constituent" National Assembly legislature in order to defuse a bitter political conflict after a month of anti-government protests.

Opponents say the move is another attempt to sideline the current opposition-led National Assembly and keep the unpopular Maduro in power in the midst of a bruising recession and unrest that has led to 29 deaths in the last month. </s> In this Jan. 18, 2017, file photo, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a press conference at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela. President Maduro called on Monday, May 1, for a citizens congress and a new constitution, as he faces an escalating political crisis.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Fredericksburg.com. </s> CARACAS, VENEZUELA—Caracas residents blocked streets with broken concrete and twisted metal and flaming piles of trash Tuesday to protest the socialist president’s bid to rewrite the constitution amid a deepening political crisis. President Nicolas Maduro signed a decree Monday to begin the process of rewriting the country’s charter. Opposition leaders called the planned constitutional assembly a ploy to put off regional elections scheduled for this year and a presidential election that was to be held in 2018. Polling suggests the socialists would lose both those elections badly at a time of widespread anger over triple-digit inflation and shortages of food and other goods. Speaking hours after yet another big anti-government march ended in rock throwing and tear gas, Maduro said a new constitution was needed to restore peace. “This will be a citizens’ assembly made up of workers,” the president said Monday. “The day has come brothers. Don’t fail me now.”

Venezuelans President Nicolas Maduro says he’s open to talk with opposition on crisis Venezuela opposition asks Wall Street to cut off Maduro as protests continue The president was vague about how members of the constitutional assembly would be chosen. He hinted some would selected by voters, but many observers expect the selection process to favour the socialists. If the constitutional process goes forward, opposition leaders will need to focus on getting at least some sympathetic figures included in the assembly. That could distract them from organizing the near-daily street protests that have kept up for four weeks, political analyst Luis Vicente Leon said. “It’s a way of calling elections that uses up energy but does not carry risk, because it’s not a universal, direct and secret vote,” Leon said. “And it has the effect of pushing out the possibility of elections this year and probably next year as well.”

Venezuela’s constitution was last rewritten in 1999, early in the 14-year presidency of the late Hugo Chavez, who launched a socialist revolution in the oil-exporting nation. Chavez called his new constitution the best in the world, and promised it would last centuries. He carried around a blue pocket-sized version of the document, and would often whip it out and say, “This is our Bible. After the Bible, this.” At the height of his popularity, people would mob him to ask that he sign their copies. The opposition immediately seized on Maduro’s proposal for a new charter as evidence that his mentor’s revolution lies in shambles. The president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, Julio Borges, called a constitutional assembly a “giant fraud” by Maduro and his allies designed to keep them in power. Borges said it would deny Venezuelans the right to express their views at the ballot box, and he urged the military to prevent the “coup” by Maduro. “What the Venezuelan people want isn’t to change the constitution but to change Maduro through voting,” he said. The opposition called for another major demonstration Wednesday. Police repressed scattered protests Tuesday with tear gas, as they have nearly daily for weeks. At least 29 people have died in the unrest of the past month and hundreds have been injured. On Tuesday, the government suspended for 180 days the right to carry guns.

The unrest began in reaction to an attempt to nullify the opposition controlled-congress, but has become a vehicle for people to vent their fury at Venezuela’s economic ruin and violent crime. Residents manning the barricades that choked streets across the capital Tuesday vowed to protest until Maduro leaves office. “Unlike some of these young people, I remember a time before the socialists. Now is not the time for fear,” said 36 year-old chauffeur Ricardo Herrera as he arranged trash and pieces of concrete into a street barricade in front of his apartment building. Herrera had so far sat out the protests because he had to get to work, but decided after Maduro’s announcement that he could no longer stand by. “No one is going to work today. If we back down now, we’ll be under their boot for the rest of our lives,” he said. </s> Venezuela’s Maduro calls for new constitution as protests rage

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called for a new constitution Monday as he fights to quell a crisis that has led to more than a month of protests against him and deadly street violence.

The opposition immediately rejected the idea because the body drafting the new charter would not be the result of a popular election but rather be composed of workers and farmers.

Maduro’s announcement, to thousands of supporters in Caracas marking May Day, came as security forces sprayed tear gas and water cannon at anti-government demonstrators elsewhere in the capital.

It was likely to sharpen international concerns over Venezuela’s adherence to democracy and fears it was slipping over a precipice to civil conflict.

The opposition slammed the tactic as a “coup d’etat” and urged protesters to “block the streets” from Tuesday. It said it was organizing a “mega protest” for Wednesday.

“People, into the streets! You must disobey such lunacy!” opposition leader Henrique Capriles said on Twitter.

The leader of the opposition-held Congress, Julio Borges, said: “What Maduro is proposing in his desperation is that Venezuela never again manages to have direct, free and democratic voting.”

Maduro said he was invoking his power to create a 500-member constituent assembly representing a “working class base” and local councils to rewrite the constitution — cutting out the Congress.

The decree was needed to “block the fascist coup” he said threatened the country, repeating terms portraying his Socialist government as the victim of a US-led capitalist conspiracy.

– Ongoing protests –

 The new constitution-writing entity would be “a citizen’s constituent body, not from political parties — a people’s constituent body,” he said, adding the National Electoral Council would start work on the process on Tuesday.

Maduro’s move mirrored that of his late Socialist predecessor Hugo Chavez, who in 1999 had a 131-member Constituent Assembly of various representatives draw up Venezuela’s current constitution. The text was overwhelmingly passed by a referendum.

Back then, though, the charismatic Chavez enjoyed enthusiastic public support. Maduro, in contrast, is disapproved of by seven in 10 Venezuelans according to pollsters Venebarometro.

Political analyst Nicmer Evans said that with his new proposal Maduro is “playing for time at all cost, in order to stay in power”.

“The pro-Chavez movement is convening the only kind of election it can win by manipulating the way voting is held,” said Eugenio Martinez, an analyst who specializes in elections.

Anti-Maduro antipathy was evident on the streets Monday. Riot police officers clashed with hundreds of protesters, some throwing stones, who tried to break through security barriers to the electoral council headquarters.

Opposition leaders have vowed no letup in their protests demanding early elections to get rid of Maduro, whose term ends late next year.

They blame him for an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food and medicine.

Clashes between protesters and riot police left 28 people dead last month, according to prosecutors.

A lawmaker was injured in the head in Caracas, photographs published online by his supporters showed. Similar protests took place in other towns across the country.

“I am out fighting for Maduro to go. This is a dictatorship in disguise,” said Matilde Rodriguez, 67, from the working class Petare district of Caracas.

“Venezuela is in intensive care. There is no food and they’ll kill you for a pair of shoes.”

– ‘Betrayal’ of Chavez –

 Analysts say street rallies are one of the few means the opposition has left of pressuring Maduro.

The president’s demand for a new constitution was a way of running out the clock on demands for elections, they said.

“Maduro is gaining time at the expense of everybody, including by stomping on the roadmap left by Chavez himself,” said Socialist-leaning Nicmer Evans.

“This constituent assembly Maduro wants is a clear betrayal of Chavez and the people.”

The violence and political spiral in Venezuela is increasingly unsettling other countries and regional blocs.

Pope Francis has offered to have the Vatican mediate, but was rebuffed by the opposition, which walked away from a previous attempt at dialogue in December when the government did not free political prisoners or set early elections as demanded.

Maduro initially voiced support for the pope’s offer. But on Monday, he said the only response to dialogue was the constituent assembly he was setting up.

– International unease –

 The president has rejected opposition calls for general elections before his term ends.

He had said he was willing to hold regional polls postponed in December, but electoral authorities did not set a date.

The president has bristled at what he calls international interference in his country’s affairs.

Venezuela last week said it was quitting the Organization of American States after it and other international bodies expressed concern about the country’s adherence to democracy.

Another regional bloc, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States is to hold an extraordinary meeting on Venezuela in El Salvador on Tuesday.

This post was syndicated from The Guardian Nigeria. Click here to read the full text on the original website.

Also, Like us on facebook </s> After months of protests, millions are called upon to choose representatives of an assembly to redraft the constitution.

After months of protests and clashes, with more than 100 people killed, Venezuelans are being called on to choose the members of a new National Constituent Assembly that will be tasked with drafting a new constitution.

In 1999, the then newly elected President Hugo Chavez and voters supported the initiative.

The difference now is that Sunday's election was ordered by decree, with no referendum indicating that a majority wants a change.

Venezuelans will answer one question: Who should represent you in the assembly?

Anticipating possible violence, the government has banned protests.

But the opposition has called people to the streets.

"Extend the barricades until tomorrow and everybody go to the streets on Sunday to demand the transformation of Venezuela," Freddy Guevara, an opposition congressman, said on Twitter. "This is a tough, conflictive time that we did not look for, but that will only hasten the fall of this government."

So what does this process entail? Below, we answer key questions:

An elected temporary parliament that has the mandate to draft or reform the Constitution.

On July 30, Venezuelans will choose the members of this parliament.

President Maduro invoked article 347 of the Venezuelan Constitution, which reads as follows:

"The Venezuelan people are the depositary of the original constituent power. In the exercise of that power, it can convene a National Constituent Assembly with the purpose of transforming the state, creating a new legal system and drafting a new Constitution."

The president has the power to do so, although he will not be able to object to the constitution that results from it.

In terms of changes, it is not clear yet what is coming.

Maduro has talked about the Constituent Assembly as an initiative that will resolve political and economic challenges, but it is unclear what the reforms will be.

Critics fear that the Constituent Assembly will try to override the National Assembly, the only government sector not controlled by Maduro's party.

READ MORE: Venezuela has reached the 'zero hour' - What's next?

2. Why did Maduro call this vote?

President Maduro called for the Assembly on May 1 amid a political crisis marked by a month of almost daily demonstrations.

At an open air rally before thousands of supporters, Maduro signed a document formally establishing the terms for electing members of the constituent assembly.

The president announced his decision saying it was the "only road to restore peace".

In a speech, he said that he aimed to "let the sovereign people impose peace, harmony and true national dialogue".

Maduro assured that the new constitution will be an "improvement" of the revolutionary plan of Chavez.

3. Who can elect and be elected?

There will be 545 elected delegates to the assembly, from more than 6,000 candidates.

From those, 364 will be chosen by local polls. The other 181 members will be elected by members of seven social sectors, including indigenous groups, poor farmers, students, and pensioners.

Those sectors have always shown strong support to Chavez and Maduro.

The opposition is boycotting the election, so from the 6,000 people that are running for seats, they do not have any representation.

Critics say the process has been distorted, because the president chose who could be listed in the constituent. That decision was not open to the public.

READ MORE: Venezuela's worst economic crisis - What went wrong?

4. What do supporters say?

They say they are willing to participate and hope the vote brings stability.

"We will participate in a process that the majority, accept, receive and are willing to participate in. On July 30, we will see the true support to the Bolivarian Revolution, and President Nicolas Maduro," General Gabriel Oviedo, a candidate to the Constituent, told Al Jazeera.

"The Constituent will continue, and with it the mechanisms will come so that each one responds to its illegal acts, it's time to have justice, and to defend the motherland," he added.

Cilia Flores, Maduro's wife and a candidate for the assembly, believes the move will bring peace and stability. "The National Assembly went crazy, and they thought they could overthrow President Maduro ... the people want peace, and this stability will be given to us by the Constituent," she told local media.

"This has not been an imposed process. I support it. It is an instrument of the state, something imposed is not submitted to a vote," Rossana Melendez, an environmental manager, told Al Jazeera.

5. What does the opposition say?

The opposition rejected the move from the start.

A Supreme Tribunal magistrate, Luisa Ortega Diaz, said the assembly was "not the solution to the crisis" and called on Maduro to "think carefully" to avoid more bloodshed.

Jose Haro, a constitutional lawyer, said: "What happens if this Constituent Assembly is imposed, without having consulted the people, is that it [risks dismantling] the state that we have, the constitutional base that we have.

"It gives way to a situation of high voltage political conflict, which can lead to even greater confrontation. The day that Maduro summoned the Constituent Assembly, the number of killed in demonstrations was no more than 29. After he made the announcement, the number has tripled ... If this goes ahead, Venezuela will enter a dark period."

The opposition is demanding elections to remove Maduro from power. They blame him for an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food, medicine and basic supplies.

6. How long could the process take?

Last time this happened, the process began on February 2, 1999, and finished with the publication of the Constitution in March 2000.

The Constituent Assembly could last more than a year because referendums and elections must be convened to determine the constituents, who are likely to discuss for months the issues concerning the new constitution.

This would allow the president to stay in power during the process, and could lead to a delay of the 2018 presidential election.

7. What was achieved the first time this was done?

The Constituent Assembly of 1999 made significant changes, including increasing the presidential term from five to six years; unifying the two chambers of the National Congress into a National Assembly, and changing the name of the country to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

8. What happens next?

Pressure from the opposition is expected to grow. Maduro has warned that his government is "ready for any scenario".

According to its decree, the National Constituent Assembly will be installed within 72 hours after the proclamation of the constituents.

President Maduro promised that before the new constitution is implemented, it would also be the subject of a referendum.

During the 1999 Constituent Assembly, Congress was shut down. This time, the Congress has said it will not cooperate. </s> After months of protests, millions are called upon to choose representatives of an assembly to redraft the constitution.

After months of protests and clashes, with more than 100 people killed, Venezuelans are being called on to choose the members of a new National Constituent Assembly that will be tasked with drafting a new constitution.

In 1999, the then newly elected President Hugo Chavez and voters supported the initiative.

The difference now is that Sunday's election was ordered by decree, with no referendum indicating that a majority wants a change.

Venezuelans will answer one question: Who should represent you in the assembly?

Anticipating possible violence, the government has banned protests.

But the opposition has called people to the streets.

"Extend the barricades until tomorrow and everybody go to the streets on Sunday to demand the transformation of Venezuela," Freddy Guevara, an opposition congressman, said on Twitter. "This is a tough, conflictive time that we did not look for, but that will only hasten the fall of this government."

So what does this process entail? Below, we answer key questions:

An elected temporary parliament that has the mandate to draft or reform the Constitution.

On July 30, Venezuelans will choose the members of this parliament.

President Maduro invoked article 347 of the Venezuelan Constitution, which reads as follows:

"The Venezuelan people are the depositary of the original constituent power. In the exercise of that power, it can convene a National Constituent Assembly with the purpose of transforming the state, creating a new legal system and drafting a new Constitution."

The president has the power to do so, although he will not be able to object to the constitution that results from it.

In terms of changes, it is not clear yet what is coming.

Maduro has talked about the Constituent Assembly as an initiative that will resolve political and economic challenges, but it is unclear what the reforms will be.

Critics fear that the Constituent Assembly will try to override the National Assembly, the only government sector not controlled by Maduro's party.

2. Why did Maduro call this vote?

President Maduro called for the Assembly on May 1 amid a political crisis marked by a month of almost daily demonstrations.

At an open air rally before thousands of supporters, Maduro signed a document formally establishing the terms for electing members of the constituent assembly.

The president announced his decision saying it was the "only road to restore peace".

In a speech, he said that he aimed to "let the sovereign people impose peace, harmony and true national dialogue".

Maduro assured that the new constitution will be an "improvement" of the revolutionary plan of Chavez.

3. Who can elect and be elected?

There will be 545 elected delegates to the assembly, from more than 6,000 candidates.

From those, 364 will be chosen by local polls. The other 181 members will be elected by members of seven social sectors, including indigenous groups, poor farmers, students, and pensioners.

Those sectors have always shown strong support to Chavez and Maduro.

The opposition is boycotting the election, so from the 6,000 people that are running for seats, they do not have any representation.

Critics say the process has been distorted, because the president chose who could be listed in the constituent. That decision was not open to the public.

4. What do supporters say?

This has not been an imposed process. I support it. It is an instrument of the state, something imposed is not submitted to a vote

They say they are willing to participate and hope the vote brings stability.

"We will participate in a process that the majority, accept, receive and are willing to participate in. On July 30, we will see the true support to the Bolivarian Revolution, and President Nicolas Maduro," General Gabriel Oviedo, a candidate to the Constituent, said.

"The Constituent will continue, and with it the mechanisms will come so that each one responds to its illegal acts, it's time to have justice, and to defend the motherland," he added.

Cilia Flores, Maduro's wife and a candidate for the assembly, believes the move will bring peace and stability. "The National Assembly went crazy, and they thought they could overthrow President Maduro ... the people want peace, and this stability will be given to us by the Constituent," she told local media.

"This has not been an imposed process. I support it. It is an instrument of the state, something imposed is not submitted to a vote," Rossana Melendez, an environmental manager, said.

5. What does the opposition say?

What happens if this Constituent Assembly is imposed, without having consulted the people, is that it [risks dismantling] the state that we have, the constitutional base that we have

The opposition rejected the move from the start.

A Supreme Tribunal magistrate, Luisa Ortega Diaz, said the assembly was "not the solution to the crisis" and called on Maduro to "think carefully" to avoid more bloodshed.

Jose Haro, a constitutional lawyer, said: "What happens if this Constituent Assembly is imposed, without having consulted the people, is that it [risks dismantling] the state that we have, the constitutional base that we have.

"It gives way to a situation of high voltage political conflict, which can lead to even greater confrontation. The day that Maduro summoned the Constituent Assembly, the number of killed in demonstrations was no more than 29. After he made the announcement, the number has tripled ... If this goes ahead, Venezuela will enter a dark period."

The opposition is demanding elections to remove Maduro from power. They blame him for an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food, medicine and basic supplies.

6. How long could the process take?

Last time this happened, the process began on February 2, 1999, and finished with the publication of the Constitution in March 2000.

The Constituent Assembly could last more than a year because referendums and elections must be convened to determine the constituents, who are likely to discuss for months the issues concerning the new constitution.

This would allow the president to stay in power during the process, and could lead to a delay of the 2018 presidential election.

7. What was achieved the first time this was done?

The Constituent Assembly of 1999 made significant changes, including increasing the presidential term from five to six years; unifying the two chambers of the National Congress into a National Assembly, and changing the name of the country to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

8. What happens next?

Pressure from the opposition is expected to grow. Maduro has warned that his government is "ready for any scenario".

According to its decree, the National Constituent Assembly will be installed within 72 hours after the proclamation of the constituents.

President Maduro promised that before the new constitution is implemented, it would also be the subject of a referendum.

During the 1999 Constituent Assembly, Congress was shut down. This time, the Congress has said it will not cooperate. </s> Already reeling from massive antigovernment marches in recent weeks, Venezuela is bracing for more demonstrations Wednesday as increasingly vocal activists protest the surprise plan by President Nicolas Maduro to draft a new constitution. Opposition leaders condemned the proposal as an antidemocratic move that will only aggravate the country’s ongoing political crisis.

In an announcement at a May Day rally Monday, Maduro said he would seek to replace the constitution pushed through in 2000 by his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. The new document would be drafted at an assembly consisting of 500 delegates, 250 of whom will be selected from “communal” groups recognized by Maduro’s government, which will likely assure his control over the final version, opponents said.



For the record: An earlier version of this story said the protests were ignited by the April 4 decision by the Supreme Court to strip the National Assembly of its legislative powers. That decision was made March 29.

Maduro critics expressed their outrage at the plan at a time when his government has curtailed the powers of the opposition-controlled National Assembly and indefinitely postponed elections of governors and mayors.

Henrique Capriles, an opposition leader and governor of Miranda state, said at a news conference Tuesday that the Maduro plan was a “constitutional fraud” and a “mechanism to do away once and for all with the National Assembly.” He called on supporters to go to the streets Wednesday to voice their opposition to the plan.

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Late Monday, opposition Assemblyman Julio Borges, who heads an alliance of opposition parties, said the aim of the new constitutional assembly would be to “dissolve democracy and the republic…. It’s a swindle designed to fool the people.”

The United States and countries throughout Latin America have denounced the Maduro government in recent weeks. In response Venezuela has threatened to withdraw from the Organization of American States.

On Tuesday, Michael Fitzpatrick, the State Department deputy assistant secretary for the Western Hemisphere, told reporters in Washington that the U.S. will talk to other countries in the region to consider imposing new sanctions on Venezuela in light of Maduro’s recent crackdown on dissent.

Maduro’s approval rating has plummeted to 21%, according to a recent poll by Datincorp, a political consulting agency, as even past supporters grow weary of food shortages, violent crime and a collapsed economy.

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Also on Monday, Maduro announced the third increase this year in the minimum wage, raising it by 60%. But even so, wages are not keeping pace with galloping inflation, which according to the International Monetary Fund could reach 720% this year.

“The current constitution is a nothing but an obstacle for the new radical phase of the ‘revolution,’” said Datincorp analyst Jesus Seguias in a text to the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday. “From here on out, the socialist plan of [the Maduro government] is possible only in a dictatorship.”

In a televised speech Monday night, Maduro said half of the constitutional assembly’s delegates would come from groups representing “the working-class base, the communes, the social movements, handicapped groups, retirees, indigenous, students and youth.”

The remaining 250 delegates would be elected by Venezuelan voters at large. Capriles, who urged Maduro opponents to boycott such an election, said voting for “all delegates to such an assembly has to be direct, universal and secret.”

Since early April, cities across Venezuela have been engulfed in protests and sometimes violent clashes with police and National Guard that have left 29 dead, 437 injured and 1,289 arrests. The protests were ignited by the March 29 decision by the Maduro-aligned Supreme Court to strip the opposition-controlled National Assembly of its legislative powers.

Although the court, at Maduro’s urging, quickly retracted the decision, protests were soon reignited when the controller general’s office ruled Capriles was ineligible to stand for election until 2032 because of alleged misuse of public funds as governor.

Capriles, who denied the charges, was seen as Maduro’s strongest potential opponent in presidential elections due to be held next year. Capriles also challenged the controller’s authority to disqualify a sitting governor, saying only the Supreme Court had that power.

Luis Salamanca, political science professor at Central University of Venezuela in Caracas , said Maduro’s plan is a political calculation, not a constitutional one.

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“Maduro is looking for a way to avoid elections that should be held soon: governors and mayors this year and presidential elections in 2018, and to preserve his power without them,” Salamanca said.

Salamanca added that another reason for the new constitution would likely be “to take the National Assembly out of play and create a communal parliament so that Maduro could assume absolute powers, like a monarch, liquidating the republic.”

Special correspondents Mogollon and Kraul reported from Caracas, Venezuela, and Bogota, Colombia, respectively.

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After GM flees their country, Venezuelans take sides over who is to blame </s> CARACAS, Venezuela — Anti-government protests in Venezuela hit the symbolic mark of 100 days on Sunday with a grim record of at least 92 dead and more than 1,500 injured. The decision Saturday to release opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez from prison and place him under house arrest has once again stirred hopes that socialist President Nicolas Maduro and his opponents could sit down for talks aimed at ending the bloodshed.

The opposition gained control of the National Assembly in 2015 by a landslide amid mounting frustration with Maduro's handling of the economy, spiraling crime and food shortages. After a year of intense feuding, in late March the government-stacked Supreme Court issued a ruling stripping the legislature of its last powers. The decision was later reversed amid a storm of international criticism but it had already touched off anger among the government's opponents and triggered street protests that still occur almost daily.

Then Maduro did something to anger his opponents even more: He called on May 1 for rewriting Venezuela's constitution. A vote to elect delegates to the special assembly to rewrite the charter is scheduled for July 30. Maduro insists rewriting the constitution is the only way to restore peace, but the opposition views it as a ruse to install a Cuba-like dictatorship. They have called for a symbolic vote of their own on July 16 to reject Maduro's plans.

One reason that mistrust between the government and opposition is running so high is because negotiations last year ended with little to show for them. Those talks were sponsored by the Vatican and a group of former leaders of other nations led by ex-Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain, who helped broker Lopez's release.

To sit down again, the opposition is demanding Maduro commitments that it says he made during the previous round of talks, including freedom for political prisoners and a schedule for gubernatorial elections that were postponed last year. It's less clear what the government would bargain for besides an end to the unrest and political cover for some tough measures to get the economy back on its feet. Many also suspect that as Maduro's grip on power weakens he and his inner circle will seek assurances that they won't face prosecution in the event of a transition.

Last month, a police inspector stole a police helicopter and strafed the Supreme Court and another government building with gunfire and grenades. The surprise attack prompted concerns about a possible uprising by the military, which has traditionally been the arbiter of political disputes in Venezuela.

Since the protests began, more than 100 members of the military are believed to have been jailed for crimes ranging from theft of weapons to rebellion and treason — a high number that suggests the military's support for the government may be wavering.

But while Maduro has repeatedly warned about attempts by what he says are U.S.-backed agents to sow dissent within the military, there so far is little to suggest a mass revolt is underway. The late President Hugo Chavez and Maduro spent years winning over top military brass with bonuses in sought-after dollars, powerful government jobs and patronage.

Oil accounts for 96 of Venezuela's export earnings and the plunge in world petroleum prices hit the government hard, leaving it owing money across the board, from foreign airlines to oil service companies. But every day Venezuela is paralyzed by protests it digs itself deeper into an economic hole that will be harder for Maduro or his successor to recover from.

Polls say 75 of Venezuelans want Maduro gone, but about 20 still back him. That is actually similar to the support enjoyed by leaders in Brazil, Chile and Colombia. More importantly, Maduro maintains a tight grip on almost every branch of government and institution, though support within his ruling socialist party is fraying.

The opposition has historically been divided by big egos and had a tough time connecting with poor people who still revere Chavez and his socialist revolution. But the opposition is more united than it has been in recent years. Both hardcore and moderate opposition leaders want to keep up street protests and push for new general elections. </s> CARACAS, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was sworn into a new term in office on Thursday by the nation’s Supreme Court, shrugging off global criticism that his leadership is illegitimate due to a last year’s disputed election. (Reporting by Brian Ellsworth)
President Nicolas Maduro announces the drafting of a new constitution amid massive protests.