Venezuelan Constituent Assembly election

Venezuelan lawmakers loyal to President Nicolas Maduro stripped opposition leader Juan Guaido's immunity on April 2 and authorized the high court to criminally prosecute him for proclaiming himself the crisis-hit country's ruler.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro attends a meeting with members of the Venezuelan diplomatic corp after their arrival from the United States, at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas on Jan. 28. (Miraflores Palace / Handout via Reuters)

Thousands of Venezuelans accompanied the incumbent for his official registration.

Supporters of President Nicolas Maduro gathered Tuesday in several locations across Caracas to accompany the incumbent as he registered as a candidate for the April 22 presidential elections.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro announced on Dec. 10 that leading opposition parties will be barred from taking part in next year's presidential vote after they boycotted mayoral polls, in a move set to further consolidate his grip on power.

 European Union foreign ministers approved economic sanctions including an arms embargo on Venezuela on Monday, blaming regional elections last month for deepening the South American country's crisis, Reuters reported.

CARACAS, Venezuela - The opposition coalition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) is in crisis with some parties threatening to leave after 4 of 5 opposition leaders elected to governorship positions swore in before the Constituent Assembly, a body not recognized by the MUD.

CARACAS, Venezuela - The National Electoral Council (CNE) said that President Nicolás Maduro's ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) won 17 of 23 state governorships in Sunday's election as parts of the divided opposition presented candidates while others abstained from the vote in protest and urged their followers to do the same.

Venezuela's future constitution, to be written by a new assembly packed with allies of President Nicolas Maduro, will be put to a referendum, the pro-government lawmakers said Thursday, according to The Manila Times.