International Pressure Forces Venezuela’s Supreme Court To Reverse Annulment of Congress
Opposition (correctly) noted that Maduro has become a dictator
In a move on Wednesday that sparked outrage and international condemnation, the pro-Maduro Supreme Court in Venezuela annulled the duly-elected Congress, announcing that the Court would take over Congress’s legislative duties.
Today, the annulment was reversed, and the Venezuelan Congress has had its powers restored.
Venezuela’s pro-government Supreme Court on Saturday revoked its controversial annulment of the opposition-led Congress amid international condemnation and protests against socialist President Nicolas Maduro.
Unprecedented pressure from other Latin American nations and dissent within its own ranks appear to have been the catalyst for the court’s reversal of its own Wednesday ruling.
. . . . Although scores of dissidents have been detained during Maduro’s four-year rule and the National Assembly stripped of power anyway in practice, the court’s move was arguably the most explicitly anti-democratic measure.It galvanized Venezuela’s demoralized and divided opposition coalition and brought a torrent of international condemnation and concern ranging from the United Nations and European Union to most major Latin American countries.
Reuters also notes that the remaining opposition to Maduro (i.e. those not already imprisoned as dissidents) said he had become a dictator.
While Maduro, 54, sought to cast developments as the achievement of a statesman resolving a power conflict beneath him, his foes said it was a hypocritical row-back by an unpopular government that had overplayed its hand.
“You can’t pretend to just normalize the nation after carrying out a ‘coup,'” said Julio Borges, leader of the legislature.
He said the ruling had merely shown the world what Venezuelans already new – that Maduro had become a dictator.
Having already shot down most congressional measures since the opposition won control in 2015, the Supreme Court went further with its Wednesday decision that it was taking over the legislature’s role because it was in “contempt” of the law.
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
This means little – even (especially) if this power is “given” back, the precedent is set and power can be removed arbitrarily again. the National Assembly can only exercise its power at the sufferance of the Court/Maduro.
You simply can’t unring this bell.
This will end in blood within 2 years.
They’ve been rendered pretty much impotent, so the ruling was supposed to legalize and formalize Maduro’s existing totalitarian role. This ruling was surprising because it was unneeded; it was a formality, really.
As an aside: our own Congress has ceded so much power to the Executive that it’s pretty much impotent, too. 🙁
sparked outrage and international condemnation
Which usually has no effect whatsoever on someone like Maduro. Blockades, wars, embargoes … these usually have some effect on just about anyone. But outrage and condemnation? Get real.
Ergo, some other factor is dominating this situation.
My initial reaction as well, Tom. I think, though, that Maduro fears the very real possibility of a violent uprising among the Venezuelan people. The straw that might have broken that camel’s back would be international condemnation. Newly-minted dictators have a much harder time isolating their people and ensuring they are fed a steady diet of propaganda. Only those like NoKo and China who’ve been around long enough to predate serious internet usage can hide the truth from their people. That’s just a guess, though.