Cabello says Venezuelan opposition looking at another coup

Following remarks by one of Venezuela's key opposition parties, Venezuela's national assembly head has alleged that the opposition now wants to win national assembly elections as a strategic way to replace key powerful positions.

National Assembly president Diosdado Cabello warned on Sunday about the “coup intentions” of the Venezuelan opposition, who he alleged want to “win a majority in the assembly so that they can change the powers,” referring to the electoral and legal powers.

Venezuela's next elections are for the national assembly, at the end of 2015.

In Venezuela it is the national assembly that chooses the Supreme Court judges and other state authorities, even if it may approve recommendations made by the president. The national assembly could also, technically, impeach the president.

Cabello said that the alleged opposition plans are “very similar to what they did in Paraguay, where they had a parliamentary coup” in 2009.

“They keep playing with fire and they think that we aren't going to say anything … but we are going to defend ourselves, we have the law and the constitution (on our side),” he said.

The general secretary of key opposition party First Justice (PJ), Tomas Guanipa said on Friday that if the opposition “had the national assembly … this motor of change is where we can triumph … (and) punish the (national) government.”

The First Justice party is also lead by Miranda governor Henrique Capriles, who ran against Hugo Chavez in 2012, and against Nicolas Maduro in 2013. When he lost in 2013, Capriles called for a “venting of rage in the streets” which saw 14 government supporters killed and numerous hospitals and other public buildings damaged.

“That is a violent message in a country that wants peace and tranquility. (The opposition) will never accept that things can be done in a different way to what they believe in … Us Venezuelans don't deserve this opposition, the country doesn't deserve this opposition,” Cabello said.

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