Venezuela's Maduro calls for new constitution by 'people's'

Venezuela's beleaguered President Nicolas Maduro called for a new constitution, to be written by a "people's" body circumventing the opposition-held Congress.

The move was to "block the fascist coup" threatening the country, he told thousands of supporters yesterday in Caracas at a May Day rally.

The new constitution-writing entity would be "a citizen's constituent body, not from political parties -- a people's constituent body," he said.