Venezuela opposition renews assault against president

CARACAS: Venezuelan opposition lawmakers sought to trigger early elections by passing a key censure motion Monday against President Nicolas Maduro, who is ruling over a national economic crisis and consequent food shortages.

The opposition majority in the National Assembly legislature declared that Maduro effectively "abandoned his post" by failing to stem the "economic devastation" in the oil-rich country, according to the speaker of the legislature, Julio Borges.