Venezuelan Opposition Validates Enough Signatures to Oust Maduro

Venezuela’s opposition says it has validated enough signatures on a petition to hold a national referendum on ousting President Nicolas Maduro.

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – The opposition now has more than the amount of signatures needed for the recall to proceed (minimum required number is 200,000, or one percent of all registered voters nationwide).

"Already 231.596 [signatures] are validated!" opposition leader and Miranda State Governor Henrique Capriles wrote on Twitter late on Wednesday.

Ya van validadas 231.596!Pero ahora es que hay trabajo que hacer #OperaciónRemate Derrotemos a los corruptos y sus obstáculos!

— Henrique Capriles R. (@hcapriles) June 22, 2016

​However, under new rules, the one percent has to be attained in all of Venezuela’s 23 states and it is still unclear whether that requirement has been met yet.

Venezuelan authorities started validating signatures on the petition on Monday, after almost two million people endorsed the move. According to Capriles, over 70,000 people had their signatures validated on Monday.

The signatories of the online petition have until Friday to bring their identity cards and have their fingerprints checked in posts set up by the national electoral authorities.

Public support for Maduro has dropped to record lows after falling oil prices strained Venezuela’s budget, sparking high inflation and food shortages.