MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) warned the opposition that any violent incidents in the country will lead to the suspension of the referendum on the Nicolas Maduro impeachment, local media reported Friday.
"Any assault, disorderly conduct or violence will lead to the immediate suspension of the process until order is restored," CNE president Tibisay Lucena said as quoted by teleSUR TV broadcaster.
Last week, the Venezuelan opposition reported that CNE had acknowledged 1.3 million signatures, collected by the opposition to hold the referendum on the Maduro impeachment as valid. A total of 7,587,532 votes, which is the number of votes Maduro received when was elected in 2013, is needed at the referendum to remove the president.
Venezuela has been in political turmoil since the election of a new opposition-controlled parliament in January.
