Venezuela President Vows Military Boost to Fight Crisis

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday the country must boost its military might, as he fends off attempts to remove him from office.

"Military power has to keep growing," Maduro said at a military parade in Caracas to mark Venezuelan independence day.

He said Venezuela was fighting an "unconventional war" -- an apparent reference to what he frequently alleges are capitalist efforts to oust him.

Venezuela is suffering a deep recession driven by falling prices for its oil exports. The crisis has sparked food shortages and deadly looting.

The political opposition blames the socialist president's economic management and is pushing for a referendum to remove him from office.

Maduro regularly accuses the business elite of waging an "economic war" against him by hoarding supplies to aggravate the crisis.

Missiles and tanks rolled by and jet fighters flew overhead at Tuesday's annual parade.

Maduro has mounted the latest in a series of legal challenges against the opposition efforts to get rid of him. He has challenged their referendum proceedings in the Supreme Court.

The opposition MUD coalition says the court and electoral authorities are stacked with Maduro's allies.

"If the Supreme Court intends to trample on the Venezuelan people's efforts... that will throw petrol on the fire," said senior leader Henrique Capriles on Tuesday.

Maduro broke with tradition this year and avoided attending a session in the legislature on independence day.

The opposition took control of the legislative National Assembly in elections in December.

Maduro's popularity is low, according to opinion polls. But so far the military command has publicly backed him.

Henry Ramos Allup, the opposition speaker in the assembly, and Capriles have alleged that not all of the military may support him, however.

"The lawmakers are backed by the votes of the people," Ramos said.

"The regime is backed by bayonets."