News / Venezuela

Venezuela's attorney general condemns 'violations' of constitution

Friday, 31 March 2017 5:53 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 31 March 2017 6:16 PM ]

Venezuela's Attorney General Luisa Ortega (file photo)

Venezuela's attorney general has publicly criticized the country's Supreme Court following its removal of the immunity of lawmakers and seizing the legislative powers of the parliament after ruling that the legislature was in contempt.

Luisa Ortega said on Friday that taking over the legislative functions of the National Assembly and lawmakers' immunity was against "constitutional order".

Ortega is the first high-level judiciary official to openly criticize the court ruling that effectively stripped the opposition-majority legislature of its legal powers.

The rulings "show evidence of various violations of the constitutional order and ignorance of the state model established in our constitution," Ortega said live on state television at an event to mark the release of her 2016 annual report.

Ortega was long seen as a supporter of the leftist "revolution" launched by President Nicolas Maduro's mentor Hugo Chavez in 1999.

But now that the once-booming oil giant with the largest oil reserves in the world is struggling with food and medicine shortages and political chaos, she decided to voice her concern over events. "It is my duty to inform my country of my deep concern over these events."

The criticism came two days after the court, which has staunchly backed Maduro through an economic and political crisis, assumed the powers of the National Assembly, the only pillar of power that was against the president and his allies.

The photo shows a view of the National Assembly building in Caracas, Venezuela. (Photo by AFP)

On Tuesday, the court also cleared the way for opposition lawmakers to be prosecuted for what Maduro calls treason. Critics described the move as a "coup."

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