Opposition in Venezuela Calls for Referendum to Oust President

Opposition parties and groups in Venezuela have gathered around two million signatures and submitted them to the country's electoral commission, demanding a referendum to oust the president. The opposition is calling for early elections to form a national unity government. The opposition and many citizens of Venezuela consider the policies of leftist President Nicolas Maduro to be the main cause of the country's economic crisis. In recent weeks, electricity has been cut off in many regions due to severe water shortages at Venezuela's largest dam, and unprecedented inflation rates, along with long lines for food purchases, have sparked a wave of street protests. To cope with this unprecedented economic crisis, Maduro's government has reduced the working days for public employees to two days a week, moved the country's clock back by half an hour, and closed schools on Fridays. Electricity is also rationed, with most areas of the country receiving power for only four hours a day. Additionally, last week Maduro issued a directive stating that any factory or production unit that halts operations will be seized by the government. Inflation in Venezuela reached 180% last year, and according to the International Monetary Fund's forecasts, this figure is expected to rise to 700% this year. Maduro and his supporters have accused the opposition and Venezuela's capitalists of plotting to overthrow his government. Maduro narrowly won the presidency three years ago and has remained in power since. He was one of the aides to leftist President Hugo Chavez, who took power after Chavez's death. In the latest poll conducted, it was reported that more than two-thirds of Venezuelan citizens want Maduro to resign. Venezuela possesses the largest proven oil reserves in the world, but with the price of oil falling to $30 per barrel, the country's economy has entered an unprecedented crisis. During Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency, the Islamic Republic of Iran expanded its political and economic relations with Venezuela and Hugo Chavez. At that time, Iran's assistance to Venezuela included building ammunition factories, car assembly plants, cement factories, and establishing direct flights between Tehran, Damascus, and Caracas by Iran Air.