Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro slammed on Thursday (January 7) the recent removal of images of socialist leader and former president Hugo Chavez from the new opposition-led Congress.
Furious after this week’s unceremonious removal of the giant Chavez photos, Maduro berated the president of the National Assembly, Henry Ramos, saying the move was an insult to 19th century independence hero, Simon Bolivar.
“That which happened yesterday [in reference to removal of Chavez photos from Congress] is part of the constitutional violations that are being committed, and is the most serious insult that has been committed in 200 years of history against the sacred memory of the liberator of the Americas, Simon Bolivar and I want to condemn, in the name of the Venezuelan people, Ramos Allup and all of the Venezuelan right, for the horrific insult against the memory of Simon Bolivar,” said Maduro, while visiting the tomb of his predecessor.
Officials were infuriated by a video of Ramos, the rambunctious new 72-year-old president of the Assembly, telling workers earlier this week to rid the building of Chavez imagery.
Maduro, who has called for nationwide protests over the removal, has since put giant Chavez photos in a Caracas plaza under military guard and officials vowed to plaster the country with more. (Reuters)
