Maduro gets superpowers to face US “threat”

The Venezuelan assembly approved on Wednesday the first of two votes needed to pass the superpowers requested by President Nicolas Maduro to confront “the threat of the United States.”

“The enabling law requested by President Nicolas Maduro was adopted by a qualified majority in the first voting,” said the head of the National Assembly Diosdado Cabello after the show of hands of the body.

The requested law would allow Maduro legislate for “the protection against interference of other States in the internal affairs of the Republic, warmongering actions or any external or internal activity that intend to violate the peace.”

Analysts cautioned that with this type of special powers, Maduro could declare a state of emergency and even suspend the legislative elections scheduled for this year.

Maduro announced that this Saturday he will lead a “defensive military exercise” and invited “all the people of Venezuela to support the armed forces and the  national militia in this exercise necessary for the country to not be touched by anyone. To not be touched by the Yankee boot ever!.”