Politics
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has been granted the power to govern by decree until 31 December, reports the BBC.
The measure was approved by the National Assembly, where Maduro has a majority. He requested the approval of the Enabling Law after the United States issued new sanctions against Venezuelan officials.
The opposition says he is using the incident to amass power and divert attention from the economic crisis.
Maduro said he needed the special powers to deal with the threat posed by the United States, which he accuses of meddling in Venezuela's affairs.
"They know they have made a big mistake," said National Assembly president Diosdado Cabello. "This is an act of aggression against all free countries in the world who are not willing to accept American imperialism."
Maduro addressed thousands of people who joined them in an "anti-imperialist" demonstration.
"They may have the power of the dollar and the power of the media, but we something they don't have: the power of integrity," said Maduro. "This legislation gives me the power to defend peace and sovereignty."
Nearly 100,000 soldiers, meanwhile, are taking part in massive 10-day military exercises across Venezuela, which were staged to counter an alleged U.S. threat.
Venezuelan Defense Minister General Vladimir Padrino Lopez announced that the military exercises began on Saturday, according to RT, and were designed to get the troops ready for “their mission, their goal, and with the will to be victorious.” Lopez added that the US sanctions are an “imminent danger for us,” which is why the nation’s army must be ready to fight for its independence.
Most of the maneuvers will be carried out south of Caracas. The rest will take place in Venezuela’s oil-producing areas, such as the Caribbean coast.
The nation’s army will also be testing its air defenses and anti-aircraft systems, ensuring they are ready to be deployed. The military exercises are due to show off Chinese amphibian weapons, Russian-built missiles, and other military hardware.
