Venezuelan President calls for new constitution

Caracas, May 2 (IANS) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday called for the creation of a constituent assembly to draft a new constitution.

Maduro indicated the country's protracted political crisis requires a measure of this kind to break the impasse, and allow the different political and social camps to decide the future of the South American nation, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I call on the original constituent power to achieve the peace the country needs, to defeat the fascist coup and to have the sovereign people impose peace, harmony and true national dialogue," said Maduro.

The ruling socialist party and the right-wing opposition have been locked in a bitter power struggle that has obstructed governing and led to violent anti-government protests in which some 29 people were killed.