CARACAS (Reuters)
- Venezuela's opposition called on Monday for a national shutdown against
President Nicolas Maduro in a major escalation of protests against a
leftist
government it accuses of flouting the people's will.
"We are
not going to allow the destruction of Venezuela. The whole country
overwhelmingly rejects the Maduro regime," said opposition leader Freddy
Guevara, announcing the first 24-hour strike in nearly four months of
anti-government demonstrations that have led to some 100 deaths.
The
opposition - which wants restaurants, shops and transport to come to a
standstill on Thursday - said it would also take steps to set up a
"national unity" government and name new alternative judges to the
pro-Maduro Supreme Court.
That raised
the possibility of a parallel state structure to challenge
government-controlled institutions.
The
opposition said it brought 7.6 million people out on Sunday for an unofficial
vote intended to de-legitimize a man they call a dictator.
Maduro's
foes are demanding a presidential election and want to stop his plan to create
a controversial new legislative super-body called a Constituent Assembly in a
July 30 vote.
They are
also seeking freedom for about 400 jailed activists, independence for the
opposition-controlled legislature, and permission for foreign humanitarian aid
to Venezuelans suffering shortages and hunger.
Guevara said
the opposition would only talk with the government if the constituent plan was
withdrawn. The hardball strategy recalls events before a short-lived coup
against Maduro's predecessor and mentor Hugo Chavez in 2002.
(For a
graphic on Venezuela's dark days, click tmsnrt.rs/2qsTmHg)
Venezuela's
leading business group Fedecamaras, which played a major role against Chavez in
2002, said it would be up to each company and its workers to decide whether to
heed opposition actions.
REUTERS
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