Opposition lawmaker accuses Maduro of cutting off food to town where he was chased

CARACAS, Venezuela, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Jose Manuel Olivares, a Venezuelan parliament opposition member, has accused Nicolas Maduro's regime of cutting off a government food program as retribution against the town from where the president was recently chased by protesters.

Maduro was chased by protesters, many banging on pots and yelling, in the town of Villa Rosa as the embattled leader visited Margarita Island over the weekend. Olivares said that in retaliation, Nueva Esparta Gov. Carlos José Mata Figueroa suspended Villa Rosa's access to the CLAP, or Local Committees for Supply and Production, program which controls regional food supplies and delivers goods to communities most in need.

The accusation follows a massive opposition rally in Caracas on Thursday that is part of the Democratic Unity Roundtable opposition coalition's demand that authorities hold a recall referendum before the end of the year seeking to remove Maduro from power.

"Maduristas say that what happened in Villa Rosa is false, but Gov. Mata Figueroa suspended CLAP in retaliation. Recall!" Olivares said on Twitter. "People have grown tired of their lies and blackmail, their abuse and corruption. We want change, the recall comes this year!"

The Nueva Esparta government released video and images following the Villa Rosa incident which purport to show the people of Villa Rosa praising Maduro. A pro-government rally was held in Villa Rosa to show support to Maduro's regime on Monday.