Venezuela opposition vows 'massive' protests for recall

Venezuela's opposition vowed Thursday to stage "overwhelming, forceful" protests after authorities quashed its hopes of ousting President Nicolas Maduro's government in a recall referendum. The Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), the center-right opposition coalition, said Venezuelans fed up with a disastrous economic crisis would not accept the authorities' ruling that a recall can only be held next year -- too late to trigger new elections. "They are violating Venezuelans' right to remove the president via the constitutional path of a referendum. What is coming now is a massive, peaceful, overwhelming, forceful protest," said MUD spokesman Jesus Torrealba More…