Venezuela: Maduro Warns Opposition 'We Won't Tolerate Violence'

Four of Venezuela's five state powers – the executive, the National Constituent Assembly, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, and the People's Power – have vowed to uphold the fight against corruption and announced new measures to defeat "criminal mafias."  

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"The Venezuelan state is compact, cohesive and determined to uphold the right of the people of Venezuela to vote in peace," President Nicolas Maduro said Friday after a meeting in which authorities reviewed past and future actions to combat corruption.

"The plan was considered a long-term plan to continue cracking down on violent mafias," Maduro said.

Delcy Rodriguez, president of the National Assembly, said the legislative power will work "on legal reforms to facilitate the fight against corruption and the defense of Venezuelan sovereignty… to confront any type of threat."

Due to calls by right-wing opposition coalition the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) to boycott the upcoming May 20 elections, the Venezuelan government is bracing for renewed unrest.

But Maduro, who is running for re-election against four candidates, including former MUD member Henri Falcon, said: "We will no allow right-wing violence."

Tarek Williams, head of the People's Power, said the government's "fight against corruption is a fight for Venezuelan peace."

Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), earlier recognized Maduro's illegitimate disqualification by the so-called 'Supreme Court in Exile,' a group of lawyers appointed by the disqualified Venezuelan legislature.   

The self-exiled court's 33 members have launched an investigation of Maduro for alleged corruption. On Thursday they ordered the Venezuelan army to capture and detain him, declaring Maduro "suspended" from office.

The move is widely considered an opposition strategy to prevent Maduro from running in the May 20 presidential elections that were called early as a result of talks held between the Venezuelan government and the right-wing opposition.

On the days the two sides were meant to sign the agreement for 'peaceful coexistence,' the opposition backed out of the dialogue.