Venezuela’s congress on Thursday approved President
Nicolas Maduro’s request for expanded powers, allowing him to
effectively rule by decree. Maduro had requested the powers to combat
U.S. “imperialism,” after the country was classified as a national
security threat by the Obama administration.
The so-called “Enabling Law” would allow Maduro to enact
laws for up to six months without congressional approval, and is
expected to be formally approved on Sunday, Al Jazeera reported.
Maduro said he would use the powers to ensure Venezuela’s "protection
against meddling by other states in the internal affairs of the
republic, militaristic actions or any external or internal activity that
aims to break the peace.”
Maduro’s call for power was denounced by opposition groups,
saying he was using the diplomatic dispute as a cover to shore up
support for autocratic rule and distract the
country from its flagging
economy.
“Nicolas, are you requesting the Enabling Law to make soap,
nappies and medicines appear, to lower inflation?” asked opposition
leader Henrique Capriles, referring to growing shortages of essential goods in the country, according to Reuters. "It's another smokescreen," he added.
On Monday, President Barack Obama issued
an executive order to counter what he called an “unusual and
extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the
United States,” adding that it constituted a “national emergency.” The order
declared a series of sanctions and travel bans targeting seven
individuals in Venezuela’s government and defense sectors, and forbade
U.S. entities from doing business with them.
The move was widely denounced by other Latin American countries. The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States issued a statement criticizing Washington’s “unilateral coercive measures against International Law.”
Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa called
the move a “gross, illegal, shameless, outrageous, and unjustified act
of interference,” and called for a summit of the Union of South American
Nations to discuss a response to the sanctions. The head of the
regional grouping also expressed his support for Venezuela in the matter.
The U.S. government had earlier called
on Venezuela to release all political prisoners it held, including
students, opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma, the
mayor of Caracas, accusing the government of cracking down on political
dissent. Venezuela has accused Ledezma of being involved in an alleged coup attempt.
The U.S. had previously backed a 2002 coup against Maduro’s
predecessor Hugo Chavez, where it “provided training, institution
building and other support to individuals and organizations understood
to be actively involved in the brief ouster of the Chavez government,” according to
the U.S. State Department. However, Washington has repeatedly denied
allegations that it is again seeking a regime change in the country.
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