Venezuela opposition reinstates 3 MPs banned over fraud allegations
Venezuela’s opposition-run National Assembly has reinstated three lawmakers accused of fraud in defiance of a Supreme Court ruling, a move that could heighten political tensions in the country.
In a Thursday session, the lawmakers voted to welcome back the three opposition legislators from the southern state of Amazonas, who are facing bans over accusations of fraud in the December parliamentary polls.
Early this year, the top court suspended them pending an investigation into the allegations of vote-buying in the parliamentary vote, in which the opposition scored a landslide victory.
The court then ruled that any legislation passed in the assembly with the participation of the three MPs would be nullified until the complaint against the trio’s electoral win was resolved.
During the raucous parliament session on Thursday, pro-government lawmakers shouted “fraud!” and turned their backs in protest at the reinstatement.
Opposition MPs, however, applauded and sang the national anthem, with National Assembly President Henry Ramos saying in an address to the session that “we’re not going to obey any decision of the Supreme Court that violates the constitution.”
This is while the former parliament head, Diosdado Cabello, had earlier warned that reinstating the banned legislators could land them in prison.
The Democratic Unity opposition coalition says the government’s policies have destroyed the Venezuela economy, seeking to oust President Nicolas Maduro.
It has been collecting signatures seeking to force a recall referendum this year on cutting short Maduro’s term and prompting new elections.
On Wednesday, hundreds of opposition supporters marched on the downtown headquarters of the National Electoral Council to demand it set a date for the next step in the complicated process, in which Maduro’s opponents would have to collect nearly 4 million signatures in a few days.
According to the report, the move came after the elections board missed its own Tuesday deadline to certify signatures and the ruling socialist party demanded that the main opposition alliance be disqualified as a political force.
Maduro says the opposition, backed by Washington, are seeking a coup and carrying out an “economic war” against his government.
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