President Nicolas Maduro blamed the United States for trying to topple his government
REUTERS
Citing
“threats from abroad” and the need to “neutralize and defeat foreign
aggression,” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro declared a state of
emergency on Friday as opposition figures continued to seek his ouster.
According to Agence France-Presse, Maduro said the measures, which expand an economic emergency decree in place since January,
would likely last through next year but did not mention whether or not
they would curb civil liberties.
Maduro said the new decree is “a
fuller, more comprehensive protection for our people,” which “guarantees
peace, guarantees stability, that will allow us…to recover the
country’s productive capacity.”
Maduro accused the United States of trying to topple his
regime and cited Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s recent impeachment
as proof he’d be next. “Washington is activating measures at the
request of Venezuela’s fascist right, who are emboldened by the coup in
Brazil,” he said, as quoted by Reuters.
U.S. intelligence officials on Friday warned
that Maduro’s government, which faced more protests this week over the
country’s food shortages, electricity blackouts and political deadlock,
could be headed toward collapse. The country is facing hyper
inflation—projected to increase 481 percent in 2016—and will have an
unemployment rate of 17 percent this year.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s opposition derided the emergency
measures, saying Maduro’s actions were motivated by a fear of losing
power. “Today Maduro has again violated the constitution,” opposition
lawmaker Tomas Guanipa told Reuters. “Why? Because he is scared of being
recalled.”
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