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

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro waves the 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)