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Venezuela's high court moves to expand power as opposition fears dictatorship OAS chief alleges Venezuela 'self-coup' as supreme court seizes lawmaking role
(about 3 hours later)
Venezuela’s supreme court has ruled that it can take over responsibilities assigned to congress in what opponents of President Nicolás Maduro say is part of an attempt to install a dictatorship in the South American country. Venezuela has lurched further away from democracy – and closer to confrontation with its regional neighbours – after the pro-government supreme court assumed the legislative powers of the opposition-controlled Congress.
In a decision late Wednesday night, the magistrates said that as long as lawmakers remain in contempt of past court rulings nullifying all legislation coming out of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, the high court can assume congressional duties itself. The court’s decisions have consistently backed the government. Judges ruled that lawmakers were in contempt of court because they were holding up efforts to revive the crisis-stricken economy. Opposition congressmen decried the move by the justices as a step towards dictatorship.
Julio Borges, the assembly’s president, said that while past decisions had stripped power from congress, this move allows Maduro to rule by fiat. Several opposition leaders called for a new round of street demonstrations. In protest, Peru recalled its ambassador to Caracas and promised to step up efforts to eject Venezuela from the Organisation of American States for what it called a “flagrant breach of democratic order”.
“Maduro is now the National Assembly,” he told The Associated Press. “It’s one thing to try and build a dictatorship and another to complete the circuit.” President Nicolás Maduro lost control of Congress in December 2015 when voters – angry about soaring inflation, rising poverty and shortages of medicines and basic commodities – inflicted a heavy legislative election defeat on the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela.
It was not immediately clear, however, what practical impact the ruling will have. Since then, relations between the administration and the legislature have been stuck between tension and conflict. Last year, the government quashed an attempt to force a recall referendum, prompting street protests.
Maduro has jailed scores of opponents and ridden roughshod over lawmakers’ powers ever since the opposition swept congressional elections by a landslide in 2015 and immediately set out to remove the socialist leader from office through a recall referendum. The high court a year ago issued an order automatically nullifying all legislation coming out of congress, and earlier this week it moved to limit lawmakers’ immunity from prosecution. Vatican-backed efforts to bring the two sides to the negotiating table broke down in November as the economy spiralled further out of control.
But foreign governments are increasingly decrying the shift toward authoritarian, one-party rule. Earlier this week, diplomats from the hemisphere gathered at the Organization of American States in Washington to debate whether to punish Maduro for breaking the democratic order and rule of law. Julio Borges, the legislative assembly president, said the supreme court’s move allowed Maduro to rule by fiat. “Maduro is now the national assembly,” he told the Associated Press. “It’s one thing to try and build a dictatorship and another to complete the circuit.”
There was no consensus on a proposal by OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro to suspend Venezuela, but the tension-filled session ended with a pledge by 20 nations to closely monitor the situation and take steps to ensure the government engages in dialogue. The OAS secretary general, Luis Almagro, accused Maduro’s government of carrying out a “self-coup”, using a term which evoked Peru’s 1992 constitutional crisis prompted a power-grab launched by then president Alberto Fujimori.
A smaller group of 14 governments, including the US, have also called for immediate elections to resolve the stalemate. Opposition leaders are now calling for a new wave of street demonstrations, prompting fears of a repeat of the deadly violence seen in recent protests.
Wednesday’s surprise ruling stemmed from congress’ refusal to authorize a joint venture with private companies by Venezuela’s state-run oil company. The government, struggling to overcome widespread shortages and triple-digit inflation, has argued that lawmakers are being obstructionist by refusing to sign off on its budget and other key economic decisions. Maduro says he is the victim of an “unconventional war” waged by the US to get their hands on vast Venezuelan reserves of oil.
However, he has acknowledged the crisis his country faces by appealing to the United Nations to help boost stocks of medicine that local doctors say are in perilously short supply.
The economic, political and humanitarian crisis has had an impact beyond Venezuela’s borders. Border tensions with Colombia have increased. Brazil is dealing with increasing numbers of refugees.
Disputes have also erupted in the OAS over moves by Almagro to invoke the organisation’s democratic charter and expel Venezuela for human rights violations.
Mexico, Paraguay and Argentina are among those in favour of such a move, while Bolivia, Cuba and Venezuela are in the group against.
No action has been taken, but 14 nations – Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay – have called on Venezuela to hold fresh elections.