Venezuela election board okays opposition recall push first phase

By Daniel Kai and Andrew Cawthorne CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's election board said on Monday the opposition successfully collected 1 percent of voter signatures in every state in the first phase of their push for a referendum to recall socialist President Nicolas Maduro. The timing is crucial because if Maduro were to lose a referendum this year, as polls indicate he would due to an economic crisis, that would trigger a new presidential vote, giving the opposition a chance to end 17 years of socialism. Opposition leaders are demanding Lucena set a date for the collection of 20 percent - about 4 million signatures - needed next to trigger the actual referendum.