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Venezuela top court bars 4 lawmakers from taking office Venezuela opposition: Court blocking of 4 lawmakers a ‘coup’
(about 12 hours later)
CARACAS, Venezuela — The Supreme Court on Wednesday barred four incoming lawmakers from taking office, putting at risk the opposition’s newly won two-thirds legislative “super-majority.” CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s opposition is calling a Supreme Court decision that bars four recently-elected lawmakers from taking their seats in the National Assembly a “judicial coup” and has vowed to respect the voters’ will when a new session starts next week.
Responding to a legal challenge filed by supporters of the ruling socialist party, the Supreme Court blocked the four lawmakers from being taking their seats when the new National Assembly convenes Tuesday. Without explaining why, the high court released a decision late Wednesday suspending the inauguration of four of the lawmakers declared winners after the opposition swept Dec. 6 legislative elections. Three are anti-government and one is a member of the ruling socialist party.
The ruling affects three opposition lawmakers and one socialist deputy, all from the sparsely populated state of Amazonas. The court will also consider challenges to a handful of other lawmakers, but has so far stopped short of barring those representatives from taking office. The ruling could undermine the opposition’s newly won two-thirds legislative “super-majority” and limit its power.
The opposition won a landslide victory in Dec. 6 legislative elections, taking control of congress for the first time in more than a decade. The coalition captured 112 of 167 seats, giving it by one seat a two-thirds majority that would allow it to rein in socialist President Nicolas Maduro. It would be able to censure top officials and rewrite basic laws and could open the door to recalling Maduro or even rewriting the constitution. Opposition leaders are pledging that the barred lawmakers will attend the first session of the new congress on Jan. 5.
Opposition leaders denounced Wednesday’s ruling and accused the government of using institutions to overturn the will of the people. The ruling has not provoked popular unrest in the middle of weeks-long winter vacations.
The socialist party has been in a frenzy of activity following the opposition’s win. The lame duck congress has approved new Supreme Court judges and made a series of other appointments, and Maduro has been using his expiring decree powers granted by congress to institute a series of new laws.
On Wednesday, Maduro appeared on national television to announce additional decrees, including raising taxes on high earners, but did not mention the court ruling.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.