Venezuela: Electoral Authority Says Recall Process Will Finish in 2017

CARACAS, Venezuela - In a development that has angered the opposition, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE) has announced that the recall process against President Nicolás Maduro will conclude in 2017, meaning that if the recall goes through, new elections will not be held and Maduro's second-in-command will assume the presidency.

Tibisay Lucena, the President of the CNE, laid out a schedule for the continuation of the recall that explained that the second round of the process would take place next month over the course of three days: October 26, 27 and 28. The dates presented, however, will likely have repercussions for the opposition as time is of the essence in determining who will assume power should the recall process succeed.

In early May, the opposition coalition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) officially initiated the recall effort when the CNE...