Venezuelans line up to back President Maduro ousterJune 21, 2016 - 10:00 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles has said that more than 70,000 people who endorsed a petition for a referendum to oust President Nicolas Maduro had their signatures validated on Monday, June 20, according to BBC News. Just under 200,000 valid signatures are needed for the process to go ahead. Maduro was elected in April 2013 and his term runs until 2019. The opposition blames his socialist policies for rampant inflation and the shortage of food and basic goods. Capriles said the massive presence of voters on the first day of the validation process was a clear sign that Venezuelans wanted a change of government. Those who endorsed the petition will have until Friday to have their identity cards and fingerprints checked in posts set up by the National Electoral Council (CNE). The petition had almost two million signatures but election officials said 600,000 of those were fraudulent. Only 1% of the electorate, or 194,729 voters, however, need to endorse the referendum on this first phase. According to Capriles, quoting official CNE figures, 71,557 signatures were authenticated on Monday. The opposition says that under Maduro's socialist government and that of his predecessor in office, the late Hugo Chavez, the oil-rich country was mismanaged to the point of collapse. The government says the country's problems, which include the world's highest inflation and shortages of basic goods, are due to an economic war being waged by "imperialist forces". Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |