Petition of 1.5 mn counted for Maduro's removal "The issue is not whether there will or will not be a referendum this year, it’s that in these conditions this government has no way of reaching the end of the year,” says Jesus Torrealba, executive secretary of Venezuela’s MUD opposition coalition. The opposition said on Saturday that electoral authorities have tallied 1.5 million signatures seeking to force President Nicolas Maduro from power with a recall referendum. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES