Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro has appointed a top general as the country’s interior minister as part of a cabinet reshuffle, despite General Nestor Reverol being accused in the US of abetting cocaine smuggling.<br /><br /> Reverol is a former head of both the anti-narcotics agency and the National Guard. Venezuela’s government said the allegations are part of an international smear campaign. Reverol has previously denied US allegations.<br /><br /> Reverol’s appointment comes a day after Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) approved the first step towards a recall referendum against Maduro after signatures were collected from one percent of the electorate in each state.<br /><br /> That allows the opposition to begin the second stage: collecting the signatures of 20 percent of the electorate in support of ousting Maduro from power – in just three days.<br /><br /> Path to referendum: Steps in Venezuelan opposition’s campaign to oust President Maduro https://t.co/ae3hEAjVjn pic.twitter.com/xJYPqn4pL3— BBC News Graphics (@BBCNewsGraphics) August 3, 2016<br /><br /> Speaking on his weekly “In Contact with Maduro” television show, the president said, “...if the opposition legally obtains the signatures, we will go to elections next year and I am sure that the Venezuelan people will hand us a victory of the fatherland, a victory of peace. I am sure that next year, in February, March or April, we will win that referendum.”<br /><br /> Four million names are needed to advance towards a referendum to recall Maduro’s mandate. <br /><br /> The opposition has asked the CNE to set a deadline for collecting the signatures. <br /><br /> The timing of a referendum is significant. If Maduro loses a vote this year, there would be a new presidential election. But if he loses one next year, he’d be replaced by his vice-president. <br /><br /> Venezuela’s opposition accuses Nicolás Maduro of stalling vote to keep power https://t.co/My6tHHoYhI— Guardian World (@guardianworld) July 27, 2016<br /><br /> Government allegations of fraud<br /><br /> The government, however, has vowed there will be no referendum this year. It has launched nearly 9,000 lawsuits, alleging massive fraud in the signature collection process.<br /><br /> But the president of the CNE said that 98 percent of nearly 408,000 signatures gathered by the opposition Democratic Unity (MUD) coalition — twice the minimum requirement of one percent, or 200,000 — in the initial phase were validated. <br /><br /> She has requested a probe into the others.<br /><br /> Polls show Maduro is likely to lose a referendum, due to the country’s severe economic crisis and high crime rate.<br /><br /> Three-year recession<br /><br /> Thousands of opposition protesters have taken to the streets blaming Maduro for a long recession, triple-digit inflation, and shortages of basic items in the shops.<br /><br /> Maduro blames falling oil prices and what he says is an economic war by opponents.<br />
