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Nicolas Maduro

CARACAS. — Venezuela’s embattled President Nicolas Maduro vowed on Saturday that no referendum on ending his term would be held until next year, amid mounting pressure as the country teeters on the brink of economic collapse.

President Maduro’s opponents are racing to call a referendum before January 10, as a successful recall vote before that deadline would trigger new elections rather than transfer power to the vice president.

If the opposition meets all requirements with their bid to oust him, “the recall referendum will be held next year. Period,” President Maduro said.

For months now, President Maduro has faced increasing hostility, with opponents accusing him of driving oil-rich Venezuela to near economic demise and launching a marathon process to call a vote on ousting him from office. President Maduro’s comments came after the National Electoral Board (CNE) announced it would take fingerprint scans from June 20 to 24 to confirm the identity of 1.3 million people who signed the opposition’s referendum petition.

The South American country’s state-led economy has seen its situation veer from bad to desperate, with long lines for basic items such as rice or corn meal, looting and black marketing now everyday scenes. — AFP.