Venezuela, a country with the world’s largest oil reserves, is mired in a crippling economic and political crisis.<br /><br /> Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters are demanding fresh elections. <br /><br /> They want President Nicolas Maduro out of office.<br /><br /> People are suffering food shortages, there is little medicine and long queues mark every purchase.<br />Inflation is on the rise and the country is in a third year of recession. The black market is flourishing. <br /><br /> VENEZUELA – Protest of Employers of public transportation due to shortage in Venezuela of spare parts for their vehicles. By jbarreto1974 pic.twitter.com/10gq9qhGRn— Frédérique Geffard (fgeffardAFP) September 22, 2016<br /> <br /><br /> According to opposition leaders, years of Hugo Chavez wrecked the country’s economy. In order to remove his unpopular successor Nicolas Maduro. <br /><br /> Opponents have collected almost 2 million signatures for a petition, the first step to launch a recall referendum to oust the government. <br /><br /> Maria de Guevara opposes the government:“We want the recall, it is a duty and the constitution says that we can have the recall so that this regime goes.”<br /><br /> The goalposts have been moved and Venezuela’s national election board has imposed an impossible timetable.<br /><br /> Maduro’s opponents need to gather the signatures of 20 percent of the electorate in each state in 72 hours for the referendum to take place. <br /><br /> Venezuela's electoral board announces signature collection dates for presidential recall referendum https://t.co/6wKuiHy6k9 pic.twitter.com/2OMZfHuTP1— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) September 22, 2016<br /> <br /><br /> Such rules were not applied in the 2004 referendum against Hugo Chávez.<br /><br /> Luis Emilio Rondon is from the National Electoral Council:“The rule of 20 percent for each state of the country was not imposed in 2004, so I do not understand the legal thinking behind the decision taken by the directors of the agency.” <br /><br /> The opposition suggests the government is employing delaying tactics. Under the constitution, the recall referendum must take place within four years of the sitting presidents term to ensure a full election, which comes to an end in January. If a president is recalled in the last two years of his term, the vice-president takes over. <br /><br /> A scenario the opposition rejects as it leaves Maduro’s administration at the helm.<br />
