29 July,2017 12:50 PM IST | Caracas | Agencies
Venezuela's government yesterday sought to quash deadly protests against a controversial weekend election, issuing a ban that sharply intensifies a showdown over President Nicolas Maduro's widely panned plan to rewrite the constitution
Demonstrators during a protest in Caracas. Pic/AFP
Venezuela's government yesterday sought to quash deadly protests against a controversial weekend election, issuing a ban that sharply intensifies a showdown over President Nicolas Maduro's widely panned plan to rewrite the constitution.
From Friday, those taking part in rallies, demonstrations, marches that "could disturb or affect" the vote planned for Sunday would face between five and 10 years in prison, Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said, reading a presidential decree.
The order was issued ahead of a mass protest called by the opposition, which is trying to force Maduro to scrap the election.
