Caracas, November 2 (RHC)-- The Venezuelan right-wing opposition has called off its provocative march planned for November 3rd to Miraflores, the presidential palace, and postponed the procedure to open an impeachment trial against President Nicolas Maduro.
The announcement was made under the pressure of the Vatican after Maduro met with opposition leaders for the start of talks to ease a political standoff between the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition-led National Assembly.
The opposition demanded that the government release some 100 jailed opposition activists -- who they call "political prisoners" -- and bring forward the next presidential election, otherwise it would resume the procedure against Maduro.
Henry Ramos Allup, President of the National Assembly, said that the decision to suspend the march was made after the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Jorge Urosa and the Vatican insisted it should be suspended.
The march was meant to demand Maduro resign, but the government viewed it as a coup attempt. Ramos Allup said the opposition would rather avoid any clashes while discussions were ongoing with the government.
The right-wing parties Democratic Action, A New Time and Justice First all backed the decision. The fractured coalition originally wanted to impeach President Maduro over his alleged “political responsibility” into violations of the constitution, human rights and democracy, dismissing the call to dialogue and instead, calling on people to demonstrate on the streets.
However, the process is merely symbolic, as the legislative body has no power to remove the president, according to the constitution.
Venezuela is facing a serious political and economic crisis prompted by a historic drop in the price of oil, which has dramatically reduced the OPEC member states' finances, accompanied by an intense campaign against the country's elected government by right-wing opponents both internally and externally.