Venezuela Recall Referendum fails

An Opposition attempt to force a referendum for a possible recall of Venezuela’s President, Nicolas Maduro has failed miserably.

This is according to VENEZUELA REPORTS (Feb.4, 2022) published by that country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Venezuela’s National Electoral Council has declared a request for a recall referendum against President Maduro to be “without merit”. The right to recall elected officials is guaranteed by Venezuela’s 1999 Constitution. However, those requesting it must garner the support of at least 20% of voters on the Electoral Register. It can be activated by popular will after halfway through the term of the elected official.

The request for the recall referendum was made early in January with the support of once self-styled “Opposition Leader”, Juan Guaido who has lost whatever support he once claimed to have by his rabid support for an economic blockade of his country by the USA. However, it could garner only 42,421 votes, just about 1% of the 4,231,486 votes required for the 20% needed.

The attempt therefore failed miserably, and a new request is now inadmissible. President Maduro is quoted as saying that the result is a consequence of “the coup that the Opposition has practised in recent years”.