Caracas, March 11 (teleSUR-RHC)-- The Venezuelan National Assembly passed a bill that allows the president to protect peace against recent threats made by the United States government of Barack Obama.

The bill, which received 99 percent of votes from the Great Patriotic Pole alliance -- the largest voting bloc in the assembly -- will now go to a second reading for final approval. The move follows a statement by the United States government Monday that declared Venezuela a “threat to national security.”

According to Venezuela’s constitution, 60 percent of the National Assembly must vote in favor to pass the law, and the purpose behind the law and its time frame must be clear.

President Maduro addressed the National Assembly Tuesday afternoon after the bill was submitted, saying the country’s parliamentary elections must go on in spite of the serious threats made by the Obama administration.

During his speech, the president thanked Latin American and Caribbean nations who have expressed support for his government against the constant attacks of the United States.

Maduro also reported that various executive bodies had discussed actions “to politically and diplomatically denounce this aggression to various organizations,” in order to prove the illegality of the U.S. decree.