Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says the new constitutional body will move this week to end the economic war on the country.
In a wide-ranging TV interview with veteran journalist Jose Vicente Rangel on Sunday, Mr Maduro said the three-week-old National Constituent Assembly would take steps to end black-market speculation that has led to soaring inflation.
He said he assembly’s economic commission, made up of representatives from the labour and business sectors, would announce measures to ensure the government price cap on foodstuffs and other goods is respected.
The commission would also unveil legal moves “to shake up society.”
The president blamed shortages and inflation on price-fixing based on a speculative dollar exchange rate set by anti-Venezuelan interests in the US.
“We are now confronted with a demonic and stifling system of criminal price fixing of a war dollar and this battle being waged openly, but we are going to win,” he said.
Mr Maduro added that the government was working to overcome US “oil reservism” that has depressed the price of Venezuela’s staple export, stressing that tactic was “now exhausted.”
He said he was “absolutely sure” the country would break free from the “dependent economy and build a productive economy.”
He called on the people to back the campaign, saying: “One Maduro cannot make mountains, so join me to hit speculation hard.”
On Saturday new Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza called for summit of all governments in favour of dialogue between the government and opposition — without “foreign interference, disrespect for sovereignty or the laying of political groundwork for US imperialism to implement an intervention in Venezuela.”
In a wide-ranging TV interview with veteran journalist Jose Vicente Rangel on Sunday, Mr Maduro said the three-week-old National Constituent Assembly would take steps to end black-market speculation that has led to soaring inflation.
He said he assembly’s economic commission, made up of representatives from the labour and business sectors, would announce measures to ensure the government price cap on foodstuffs and other goods is respected.
The commission would also unveil legal moves “to shake up society.”
The president blamed shortages and inflation on price-fixing based on a speculative dollar exchange rate set by anti-Venezuelan interests in the US.
“We are now confronted with a demonic and stifling system of criminal price fixing of a war dollar and this battle being waged openly, but we are going to win,” he said.
Mr Maduro added that the government was working to overcome US “oil reservism” that has depressed the price of Venezuela’s staple export, stressing that tactic was “now exhausted.”
He said he was “absolutely sure” the country would break free from the “dependent economy and build a productive economy.”
He called on the people to back the campaign, saying: “One Maduro cannot make mountains, so join me to hit speculation hard.”
On Saturday new Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza called for summit of all governments in favour of dialogue between the government and opposition — without “foreign interference, disrespect for sovereignty or the laying of political groundwork for US imperialism to implement an intervention in Venezuela.”