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Venezuela's parliament votes to try President Maduro | Venezuela's parliament votes to try President Maduro |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Venezuela's opposition-led parliament has voted to open a trial against President Nicolas Maduro, accusing him of violating the constitution. | Venezuela's opposition-led parliament has voted to open a trial against President Nicolas Maduro, accusing him of violating the constitution. |
The move comes after last week's suspension of a referendum process seeking to remove Mr Maduro. | The move comes after last week's suspension of a referendum process seeking to remove Mr Maduro. |
The government said the vote was meaningless, referring to an earlier court ruling that had declared parliament illegitimate. | The government said the vote was meaningless, referring to an earlier court ruling that had declared parliament illegitimate. |
President Maduro later accused MPs of attempting to stage a "coup". | |
He said a meeting of the country's defence council would be held on Wednesday. | |
The further rise in tensions comes despite the fact that on Monday both the government and the opposition agreed to hold crisis talks. | |
Mass protests planned | |
During Tuesday's session, MPs also voted for President Maduro to appear before parliament in a week's time. | During Tuesday's session, MPs also voted for President Maduro to appear before parliament in a week's time. |
"We will show clearly to Venezuela and the world that in this crisis, responsibility for breaking the constitution has clearly been Nicolas Maduro's," parliament majority leader Julio Borges said. | "We will show clearly to Venezuela and the world that in this crisis, responsibility for breaking the constitution has clearly been Nicolas Maduro's," parliament majority leader Julio Borges said. |
Reacting to the vote, Vice-President Aristobulo Isturiz said that "legally, the National Assembly does not exist". | Reacting to the vote, Vice-President Aristobulo Isturiz said that "legally, the National Assembly does not exist". |
He was referring to the Supreme Court's ruling that parliamentary resolutions were null and void until the removal of three MPs linked to vote-buying accusations. | He was referring to the Supreme Court's ruling that parliamentary resolutions were null and void until the removal of three MPs linked to vote-buying accusations. |
The parliament's trial of Mr Maduro is unlikely to result in any sort of action against him, the BBC's Will Grant in Central America reports. | |
The country's military top brass also delivered an address on national television supporting the Socialist government. The army said it was watching the political situation carefully. | |
Mr Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader, is blamed by the opposition for Venezuela's dire economic situation. The oil-rich country is facing widespread food shortages and spiralling inflation. | Mr Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader, is blamed by the opposition for Venezuela's dire economic situation. The oil-rich country is facing widespread food shortages and spiralling inflation. |
The opposition is trying to hold a recall referendum that would allow Mr Maduro to be removed from office - but electoral authorities suspended the process last week. | The opposition is trying to hold a recall referendum that would allow Mr Maduro to be removed from office - but electoral authorities suspended the process last week. |
The official reason was allegations of fraud during the gathering of signatures for the first petition required to enable the referendum. | The official reason was allegations of fraud during the gathering of signatures for the first petition required to enable the referendum. |
However, opposition lawmakers have long accused the National Electoral Council of being under the government's control. | However, opposition lawmakers have long accused the National Electoral Council of being under the government's control. |
In an emergency parliamentary session on Sunday, MPs approved a resolution accusing Mr Maduro's government of engaging in "an ongoing coup d'etat". | |
The Organization of American States (OAS) also said it was "profoundly worried" by the electoral authorities' decision. | The Organization of American States (OAS) also said it was "profoundly worried" by the electoral authorities' decision. |
Hundreds of students protested on Monday in San Cristobal, a city near the Colombian border. Nationwide protests are planned for Wednesday. | Hundreds of students protested on Monday in San Cristobal, a city near the Colombian border. Nationwide protests are planned for Wednesday. |
Mr Maduro has accused the opposition of having links to foreign states, the US in particular, and of seeking to overthrow him to "lay their hands on Venezuela's oil riches". | Mr Maduro has accused the opposition of having links to foreign states, the US in particular, and of seeking to overthrow him to "lay their hands on Venezuela's oil riches". |