As Venezuelans protest, struggling Maduro seeks early parliament vote

The military’s support is crucial for Maduro, who is deeply unpopular, largely due to an unprecedented economic crisis that has prompted an exodus of millions. Maduro claims he is victim of a coup directed by the United States.

In a speech to supporters, Maduro said the powerful government-controlled Constituent Assembly would debate calling elections this year for the National Assembly parliament, which is opposition-controlled.

Guaido has called for a new, fair presidential election after the disputed vote won by Maduro last year.

“You want elections? You want early elections? We are going to have parliamentary elections,” Maduro told a pro-government rally in Caracas, held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez’s first inauguration as president.

Opposition lawmaker Armando Armas said in a statement that proposing bringing forward the parliamentary elections, which were scheduled for 2020, was just another act of provocation.

 “Maduro is not president and the Constituent Assembly has no legitimacy, no value,” he said.

While small rebellions against Maduro have broken out in Venezuela’s armed forces in recent months, there has been no large scale military uprising against him.

However, General Francisco Yanez of the air force’s high command became the first active Venezuelan general to recognize Guaido since he proclaimed himself president on Jan. 23. Venezuela’s chief military attache to the United States also said he was defecting last week.

“People of Venezuela, 90 percent of the armed forces of Venezuela are not with the dictator, they are with the people of Venezuela,” Yanez said in the video. “Already the transition to democracy is imminent.”

On its Twitter account, the air force’s high command accused the general of treason.

At an opposition rally in Caracas, Guaido told his supporters he expected more to follow Yanez’s example. The previously little-known 35-year old industrial engineer has offered the military and public officials amnesty if they defect.

 “I am certain many officials and soldiers will repeat this gesture, very soon, very soon,” he said.

The rally was one of many nationwide on Saturday, where demonstrators decked out in the yellow, red and blue of the Venezuelan flag honked horns, pounded on drums and chanted “Guaido, Guaido, Guaido.”

“It’s been years of destruction of companies and poverty,” said Pedro Gimenez, 51, a worker in an aluminum factory in the southern state of Bolivar. “We want a better present and future and we are about to achieve that.”

In a possible sign of Maduro’s weakening support, riot police who had planned on blocking demonstrators from reaching the rallies decided to let them pass in at least three cities, according to Guaido and Reuters witnesses.

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