Venezuela delays state elections to 2017


Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (C) attends a ceremony to sign off the 2017 national budget at the National Pantheon in Caracas, Venezuela October 14, 2016. Miraflores Palace/Handout via REUTERS

CARACAS (Reuters) - Elections for Venezuela's state governorships will be held in 2017 rather than December as expected, the election board said on Tuesday, giving the unpopular socialist government more breathing space before going to the polls.

Critics say authorities have delayed the elections - and are also seeking to derail an opposition push for a referendum to recall President Nicolas Maduro - because they are frightened of letting Venezuelans have their say.

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