Venezuela's political crisis deepens as its legislature is essentially dissolved
Source: LA Times
Venezuelas political crisis deepened Friday as the controversial constitutional assembly declared that it is the countrys sole legislative body, essentially dissolving the democratically elected congress.
All public bodies are subordinated to the National Constitutional Assembly, said Delcy Rodriguez, the bodys president. No other power can impede our decisions.
The move was hardly a surprise. The assembly was elected late last month in a disputed election that domestic and and international critics said was an unconstitutional maneuver by President Nicolas Maduro to neuter the opposition-controlled legislature, known as the National Assembly, and consolidate his power. All of the candidates and all 545 delegates who were elected are loyal to the president.
The electoral consulting company hired by the government, Britain-based Smartmatic, denounced the vote count as manipulated.
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-venezuela-assembly-20170818-story.html
Bolivarian democracy in action.