Caracas: Electoral officials are scheduling long-delayed regional elections in Venezuela for December, though the apparent olive branch may never come to fruition as a special assembly to rewrite the nation's constitution is slated to take place first.
The chief of the embattled South American nation's electoral council said Tuesday officials were looking to hold elections for President Nicolas Maduro's constituent assembly tasked with rewriting the nation's constitution in July.
Under the terms proposed by Maduro, a third of the assembly's 540 members will be reserved for representatives selected by special constituencies and organizations such as workers and retirees.
Critics say such groups are dominated by the ruling socialists and rather than continue Venezuela's democratic tradition of universal suffrage and direct elections by secret ballot the method could tilt the outcome in favor of the government.
That assembly could decide to change the nation's electoral council or not hold the regional elections at all. Opposition leaders were quick to cry foul at the proposal.
"The Venezuelan people don't want Maduro's constituent fraud," former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles said. "We don't accept it!"
Nearly two months of anti-government protests have left at least 53 people dead as opposition members demand early presidential elections.
Demonstrators contend Maduro's government is quickly sliding toward becoming an authoritarian regime, and that the effort to rewrite the constitution is one more attempt by Maduro to consolidate his power. They are also decrying Venezuela's triple-digit inflation, soaring crime and vast food shortages.
The government abruptly postponed regional elections the opposition was heavily favored to win last year and called off a petition drive to force a referendum seeking Maduro's removal before presidential elections slated for next year.
Since Venezuela's wave of unrest began in March Maduro has repeatedly stated he was "anxious" for the regional elections to take place soon, saying the government would handily win, though polls indicate the majority want him out of power.
