Venezuela opposition stages crisis protest march

Venezuela’s opposition called for supporters to march in the streets Monday demanding early elections to oust President Nicolas Maduro, whom its blames for the country’s economic and political crisis.

The opposition MUD coalition said in a statement its supporters would march to the headquarters of the National Electoral Board in Caracas on Monday morning.

The center right-dominated coalition has declared Maduro unfit for office due to his handling of a crisis that has caused food and medicine shortages and rioting.

But the socialist president has overruled all their efforts to hold a vote on removing him from office over the past year.

He says the crisis is the result of a US-backed capitalist conspiracy.

Monday’s protest is the opposition’s first major street demonstration this year.

Maduro’s government early this month launched a crackdown on opponents, arresting several whom he accused of plotting an armed uprising. The opposition denied that charge.