Venezuela's national election board announced the vote slated for April 22 had been pushed back to the second half of May, with a final date to be specified later, after a pact between Maduro’s government and some opposition parties.
The pro-government representative in the negotiations in Dominican Republic, Jorge Rodriguez announced that a pre-agreement had been reached and that he was almost certain that on Wednesday the talks would come to fruition. However, the opposition came to deny it.
The deputy of the pro-government National Constituent Assembly, Tomás Lucena, was killed on Wednesday afternoon in Trujillo state, in western Venezuela when he was intercepted by two suspects on motorcycles and wounded with several bullets, according to witnesses. The government rates the crime of revenge.
Venezuela said future elections in the country would only take place once U.S. sanctions against top ranking officials and its finances are lifted, in a sign from the government that next year’s presidential vote is at risk.
President Hugo Chavez candidates swept nearly all of Venezuela's 23 states in Sunday's regional vote, but Henrique Capriles consolidated his position as top opposition leader by winning re-election as governor.
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez will personally go to register his candidacy for the October 7 election on Monday, officials said, brushing aside rumors he might be too unwell from cancer or considering a successor.Chavez, 57, is after re-election despite a year-long battle against an unspecified cancer.