Venezuela opposition congress starts legislating but backs down in conflict with Supreme Court

Venezuela opposition congress has finally started the business of writing laws, but it backed down in a dispute with the Supreme Court and removed three opposition lawmakers who are under investigation for alleged vote cheating.

Venezuela Supreme Court had barred three opposition lawmakers and a government legislator from office pending a probe into alleged electoral fraud in the jungle state Amazonas. But the new congress president, Henry Ramos, who was sworn on Jan 5 after the opposition's victory in December's election, defiantly swore the three lawmakers during his first days on the job.

The Supreme Court held the National Assembly earlier this week after the barred lawmakers were sworn. The high court said the three lawmakers could not be sworn-in until officials had investigated claims over vote fraud. The judges said that any laws passed by congress would be null and void until the three lawmakers leave their seats, Reuters reported.

The three opposition lawmakers were expected to leave their seats on Wednesday. They said in a letter that they completely reject the ruling. However, they said, "by leaving, we help free parliament from the institutional ambush they (the government) want to lead it into."

The opposition argues that even without its barred lawmakers, it still has a two-thirds super majority in chamber to challenge the government of President Nicolas Maduro. After the barred lawmakers left their seats, the oppostion has 109 of an effective sitting total of 163 seats.

Supporters of Maduro's government claimed that the opposition's victory in congressional elections was fraught with fraud, Bloomberg reported. Maduro's government is likely to argue that based on the cahamber's total capacity of 167 seats, the opposition will have less than a two-thirds majority.

The opposition leaders said the back down move was a tactical retreat from the government's "intitutional ambush". According to VoA News, the oppositions are starting to outline policy proposals to give amnesty to jailed activists, a bill to give people in public housing the title to their homes, and a project to audit major institutions.

Opposition lawmakers started work Thursday on legislation that would free dozens of jailed activists who participated in 2014 anti-government protests. Human rights groups consider these people to be political prisoners, while the government says the activists linked to violence that left dozens dead.

President Maduro warned that he would never accept an amnesty law. The opposition said it seeks the removal of President Maduro within six months.

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Venezuela, Supreme Court, Lawmakers, Congress, election, opposition, activists, government, Nicolas Maduro

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