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Venezuelans To March On Presidential Palace, Protest Socialist Gov’t

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Robert Donachie Capitol Hill and Health Care Reporter
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Venezuelans are preparing a massive march in protest of the government’s refusal to allow a referendum against Socialist President Nicolás Maduro Thursday.

The protest comes nearly two weeks after the government-controlled Venezuelan National Election Council suspended the constitutionally allowed referendum to remove the president from office, which was proposed by opposition party members. The council cited four provincial courts that allegedly found evidence of signature fraud.

Following the announcement, Maduro opposition protesters took to the streets Oct. 26 and called for a massive labor strike the following Friday.

Still striving to bring a referendum against the Socialist leader, citizens of Venezuela are turning to a planned march on the home of Maduro — the presidential palace. Some fear that things could spiral out of control, resulting in the military opening fire upon large swaths of protesters.

The Venezuelan people are fueled by disgust and hatred for the government — they are dying of treatable illnesses because even basic medical supplies are just not there. In fact, one-in-three patients admitted to Venezuelan hospitals die.

Markets are barren, and food supplies are in the hands of the military. Malaria has wrecked the nation, killing adults and children alike.

Even with the world’s largest oil reserves, the Venezuelan economy is in a downward spiral. Inflation hit 480 percent in 2016 and is projected to be 1,600 percent in 2017. The IMF predicts that the nation’s economy will shrink some 10 percent this year alone. (RELATED: Socialism Leads To Widespread Food Shortages And 1,600% Inflation In Venezuela)

Polling shows that 90 percent of Venezuelans think the nation is headed in the wrong direction, and two-thirds think that the president should leave office within a year, the FT reports.

The nation’s Congress will discuss bringing a motion against the president for political negligence for suspending the referendum.

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