- Title: Venezuela's opposition censures judges, decries 'rupture' in constitution
- Date: 5th April 2017
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (APRIL 5, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VARIOUS OF PRO-GOVERNMENT GREAT PATRIOTIC POLE DEPUTY, HECTOR RODRIGUEZ, ARRIVING AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VARIOUS OF RODRIGUEZ ARRIVING, TAKING SEAT IN CHAMBER VARIOUS OF DEPUTIES IN ASSEMBLY THE MOMENT IN WHICH THE MEASURE TO REMOVE SUPREME COURT JUDGES IS APPROVED PRESIDENT OF THE OPPOSITION-LED NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, JULIO BORGES, SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE OPPOSITION-LED NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, JULIO BORGES, SAYING: "The world has to realise that this (does not represent) normality in the National Assembly, it is simply the situation to try to show normality, which does not exist in the Venezuelan parliament and that the sentence only gives formality to the coup which has continued since last year and continues to get more serious." BORGES SPEAKING PEOPLE APPLAUDING VARIOUS OF RODRIGUEZ DURING SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CONGRESSMAN OF THE RULING PARTY, HECTOR RODRIGUEZ, SAYING: "The international show has fallen apart. There is full democracy in Venezuela that is the truth whether you like it or not, there is democracy despite the parliamentary coup." VARIOUS OF CONGRESSMEN SHOUTING DURING THE SESSION (IN SPANISH): "YOU ARE FASCISTS, THE PROSECUTOR SAID IT" CONGRESSMEN OF THE RULING PARTY LEAVING FORUM DURING SESSION OPPOSITION CONGRESSMEN SHOUTING (IN SPANISH): "ELECTIONS NOW! ELECTIONS NOW!" OPPOSITION CONGRESSMAN, JUAN MATHEUS, DURING SPEECH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION CONGRESSMAN, JUAN MATHEUS, SAYING: "Our fight is not only against these sentences, our fight is not for the correction of this sentence, our fights is to bring back constitutional order, and so that we can hold elections in this country and liberate Venezuela and bring back democracy." VARIOUS OF CONGRESSMEN DURING SESSION VARIOUS OF RODRIGUEZ LEAVING THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
- Embargoed: 19th April 2017 20:42
- Keywords: Venezuela Supreme Court National Assembly Hector Rodriguez
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Lawmaking,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016B4JSQR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Venezuela's opposition lawmakers, some managing injuries from this week's protests, on Wednesday (April 5) sought the dismissal of Supreme Court judges whom they accuse of propping up a socialist dictatorship.
The oil-producing nation's political stand-off took a new twist last week when the Supreme Court ruled that it was taking over the legislature's functions. That touched off an international outcry, and the tribunal quickly scrubbed the offending clauses.
But dozens of previous rulings overturning National Assembly measures have left it powerless anyway. National Assembly President, Julio Borges, said the judges' dismissal would merely feign normality, as the "coup" becomes more serious.
Lawmakers passed one motion on Wednesday denouncing the "rupture" of Venezuela's constitution and another asking for the removal of Supreme Court judges. But that would be merely symbolic since congress requires the support of other institutions, which are behind Maduro, to dismiss the judges.
Congressmen disagreed during Wednesday's session, with politicians of the ruling Socialist party such as Juan Matheus, insisting democracy was solid in Venezuela, and that the judges had been accosted by an "international show". Several government supporters also left the chamber mid-session. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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