Venezuela ‘Birther’ Movement Questions President’s Eligibility

Venezuela’s opposition has tried and failed to unseat President Nicolas Maduro through street protests and court pleas since he won the narrowest election victory in 45 years in April. Their latest tactic is to question his nationality.

Maduro, 50, was born in the Colombian city of Cucuta to Colombian parents, opposition lawmaker Abelardo Diaz alleged at an event in Caracas today, brandishing copies of what he said were the identity documents of the president’s parents. The opposition will now ask Colombia’s Supreme Court whether this makes Maduro a Colombian citizen. If so, he would fall foul of the constitution, which states the president must be “Venezuelan by birth” and not have other nationalities.