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The 'mega elections' called for by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will not be scheduled until after the April 22 presidential elections, it has been announced.
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Venezuela: President Nicolas Maduro Calls for 'Mega Elections'
President of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) Delcy Rodriguez, and President of the National Electoral Council (CNE) Tibisay Lucena met Friday to discuss the elections, jointly declaring the two bodies are ready to go to the ballot box.
The pair then confirmed that the general elections – to include state legislative councils and municipal councils – also requested for April 22 in a petition submitted by Maduro would instead be set for a later date, which could be decided next week.
"We need a new National Assembly to represent the whole country," Maduro posted on Twitter on Thursday. "We propose elections and we propose to include state legislative councils and municipal councils in it. That way we will have four years to focus exclusively on working for the country's prosperity."
According to local media, Lucena told reporters that the CNE is working to guarantee the rights of everyone taking part in the electoral process, and to fulfil the timetable to the letter.
So far, Mucena said, 15 out of 18 political parties have put forward their candidates for April's presidential elections.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, took the opportunity to condemn comments made by U.S. Charge d'Affaires Todd Robinson, who earlier claimed that in Venezuela "democracy has been degraded."
Robinson went on to say every available alternative is "on the table in terms of strategies for Venezuela."
In response, Rodriguez said Venezuela is preparing to take measures against the U.S. official, in accordance with international law.
The Venezuelan government has long said it is the target of a U.S.-led global attack that seeks to destabilize the economy in order to bring about a change of administration.
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