Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro waves a national flag outside Miraflores Palace in Caracas

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro waves a national flag outside Miraflores Palace in Caracas March 15, 2015. Venezuela’s parliament granted President Maduro decree powers on Sunday for the rest of 2015 in a move he says is to defend the country from U.S. meddling but opponents decry as evidence of autocracy. In a noisy National Assembly session, ruling Socialist Party legislators, who have a majority, applauded the “Enabling Law” as a legitimate response to a U.S. declaration that Venezuela is a security threat and sanctions on seven officials. REUTERS/Jorge Silva (VENEZUELA – Tags: POLITICS)