CARACAS: Tensions fraying a fragile political truce in Venezuela escalated on Thursday, as President Nicolas Maduro warned his opponents not to issue ultimatums on holding elections and accused them of lying.
Adding a nail to the coffin of a short-lived detente declared this week, the embattled leftist lashed out at political enemies trying to drive him from power and downplayed expectations for Vatican-mediated talks.
He made the comments as thousands of his supporters rallied outside the presidential palace, in what the opposition called a violation of their mutual agreement to tone down their rhetoric and suspend protests and demos.
Maduro took issue with opposition leaders’ statements that their goal for the upcoming talks — set for November 11 — was an agreement to hold elections early next year, well ahead of the scheduled end of his term in 2019.
“There can be no ultimatums. Nobody can issue an ultimatum. Everything in its time,” Maduro said in a national address.
“I want to alert you all, especially the opposition’s supporters: They are lying to you again.”
Earlier, top opposition figure Carlos Ocariz had said the opposition wanted new polls “in the first quarter of 2017.”
“It has to be as soon as possible,” he said.
