Venezuelan Opposition Gathered Enough Signatures for Maduro Removal

Venezuelan opposition has collected sufficient number of signatures amounting to over one percent of voters in each state to move to the second stage toward referendum on removal of the country's President Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's National Electoral Council confirmed on Monday.

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) — The Council validated 98 percent, or nearly 400,000 signatures given in support of the referendum petition, the Council's head Tibisay Lucena said.

Venezuelan opposition collected two million votes thus exceeding the minimum of some 200,000 signatures required to move to the second stage of public vote proceedings.

In accordance with the Venezuelan legislation, 4 million signatures more are required on the second stage to hold a recall referendum.

Venezuela has been in a state of an economic emergency since January. Up to 96 percent of Venezuela’s budget depends on oil which price is in the lowest in years. Venezuela’s opposition has blamed Maduro for the economic crisis in the country.