Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro holds a copy of the Venezuelan constitution as he speaks during a ceremony at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela May 1, 2017. Miraflores Palace/Handout via REUTERS
CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro shocked many of his countrymen on Monday by calling for a constitutional assembly in a move similar to one his predecessor and mentor Hugo Chavez used almost 20 years ago.
But there is a key difference: while Chavez enjoyed broad popularity following his 1998 election, Maduro faces slim odds at the ballot box and critics say he is calling the assembly precisely to avoid or delay free elections.
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