Politics
Venezuelans seek to reactivate the recall process against Nicolás Maduro
"The CNE's actions are a blow to the Constitution," said the Venezuelan Movement for the Recall of Voters
February 13, 2022 4:01pm
Updated: February 14, 2022 4:39pm
The Venezuelan Movement for the Recall (Mover) asked the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) on Wednesday to reactivate the process to recall Nicolás Maduro after a failed first attempt.
"We are asking the magistrates of the TSJ to reinstate to the state the opening of the (recall) process because these actions of the National Electoral Council (CNE) are a blow to the Constitution," said César Pérez Vivas, former governor of Táchira state and spokesman for Mover.
Pérez filed an appeal with the TSJ to annul the actions of the CNE that "abruptly and obscenely confiscated" the right of recall of all Venezuelans.
"The right to recall is alive; it has not died. Mr. Nicolás Maduro ordered to kill it, but we defend this right," said Pérez.
On January 27, the CNE declared that there was "no place" for future petitions to initiate a recall referendum against Maduro, after it did not receive the necessary signatures to activate the process.
Opposition leader Juan Guaidó had described the CNE's rules as "savage" for establishing a single day to collect signatures.
According to the rules established by the governing body, opposition organizations had to collect signatures equivalent to 20 percent of the population in Caracas and each of the 23 states. If in a single region did not reach 20 percent of the signatures, even if the rest reached the goal, the procedure would be annulled.
Because of this, the opposition decided to boycott the signature collection process, considering that the conditions imposed by the electoral authority were unfeasible.
