CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's electoral council said it was suspending a recall campaign against President Nicolas Maduro after courts annulled the signature collecting campaign in four states.

The next phase of the complex recall process in which the opposition needed to collect signatures from 20 percent of voters seeking Maduro's removal was slated to take place over three days next week.

But the government-stacked electoral council on Thursday said that process will be postponed after state courts found that an earlier stage of the petition drive was marred by fraud.

Polls show Venezuelans overwhelmingly want to boot Maduro from office before his term ends.