President of the National Assembly of Venezuela Julio Borges, joined by members of the opposition party Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), attends an event at the Chacao Theater in Caracas July 3, 2017. The MUD announced on Monday that it would hold a referendum on July 16 to determine whether to agree the government's attempts to rewrite the constitution. (Xinhua/Francisco Bruzco)
CARACAS, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's opposition party Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) announced Monday that it would hold a referendum on July 16 to determine whether to agree with the government's attempts to write a new constitution.
During an event at the Chacao Theater in Caracas, Venezuela's opposition-led National Assembly (AN) President Julio Borges said that this process would allow "the people to decide if they reject or do not recognize the unconstitutional Constituent."
This initiative will have no legal status since it is not supported by the National Electoral Council (CNE), as CNE Director Tania D'Amelio said this vote would only be an "internal process" of the MUD.
The government has been preparing to call the Constituent National Assembly (ANC), which would draft a new Constitution. President Nicolas Maduro saw the new Constitution as the best way to lead the country out of its political and economic crisis.
However, the MUD has said that the ANC was unconstitutional since the government did not hold consultations with the people beforehand.
The Supreme Court, which was accused of being allied with the government, ruled on May 31 that it "is not necessary, nor constitutionally mandated, to hold a consultative referendum prior to the calling of the ANC."
Opposition protests led by the MUD have been held over the past three months in Venezuela, demanding early general elections and an end to a government plan to rewrite the country's constitution.
The protests have left at least 85 people dead since April across Venezuela.
