Venezuela's Maduro Calls Constitutional Assembly

Maduro, who promised that the assembly will include 500 delegates elected “by direct and popular vote”, is expected to use party faithful, grouped in “communal councils” not recognized by the Constitution, to grant himself a new magna carta with additional powers. He is expected to give himself the power to pick the majority of delegates to the Constitutional Convention. "He will then try to use the drafting of a new Constitution as an excuse to further delay regional and governor elections that were supposed to have taken place last year and delay holding a Presidential election next year, while at the same time disbanding the National Assembly," predicted Russ Dallen, head of Caracas Capital. More…