Venezuela President Maduro Confirms Plans to Run for Reelection

Venezuela’s Socialist President Nicolas Maduro confirmed Wednesday he would run for a second term after pushing forward the date of the voting.

"I agree to be a candidate for the presidency for 2019-2025 and vow to represent the Venezuelan working class," Marudo told transport workers in a televised address.

The announcement came shortly after the pro-government constituent assembly moved the election from the end of 2018 to no later than April, prompting protests from the opposition.

"The decision of Venezuelan authorities to unilaterally set the election date through the national constituent assembly is a serious breach of agreements reached with opposition at the talks in the Dominican Republic," lawmaker Simon Calzadilla told Sputnik.

The government rejected this accusation, saying the date of the next presidential election had not been changed because it had never been set for December 2018.