UPDATED - Venezuela's pro-government assembly takes power over congress

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

UPDATED Venezuela's pro-government assembly takes power over congress

Thomson Reuters Posted: Aug 18, 2017 12:57 PM ET Last Updated: Aug 18, 2017 1:44 PM ET

Venezuela's constituent assembly on Friday gave itself the power to pass laws, superseding the opposition-led congress and fuelling criticism that the new all-powerful legislative superbody is undermining democracy in the crisis-stricken country.

"The constituent assembly … decrees that it will assume the power to legislate on issues directly related to preservation of peace, the socio-economic financial system … and the pre-eminence of Venezuelans' human rights," read the decree, which was approved unanimously.

In practice, the move does little to change the existing situation. The Socialist-dominated Supreme Court has stripped congress of powers and shot down nearly every law it has approved since the opposition took control of it in 2016.

But the decision suggests the constituent assembly, elected in July in a vote boycotted by the opposition, is more interested in limiting the opposition's political influence than rewriting the constitution, which is its official task.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/venezuela-assembly-congress-1.4252999

[COLGATE4]

1. Just one more step, window dressing for the coup d'etat taken by Maduro

and his bottom-feeders to desperately hold onto power regardless of the suffering of the Venezuelan people.

[OBenario4]

3. Funny.

I remember you supported the right-wing coup d'etat against Dilma Rousseff in Brazil.

Do you only support coups against leftists?

[COLGATE4]

5. This isn't a "coup against leftists". It's a coup by leftists

against the legitimately elected congress of Venezuela.

[OBenario4]

6. But the coup in Brazil was. And you favored it. n/t

[COLGATE4]

8. And your point is???

[OBenario4]

10. My point is your speech is hypocritical.

You couldn't care less for the "suffering of the Venezuelan people". As soon as they are taken by the right-wing fascists of Venezuela and go back to total misery you won't say a word about it.

[Marksman_91]

14. HAHAHAHAHA

"Misery"... Misery is what Venezuelans are going through right now, and at a worse rate than in any of the supposed "right-wing" governments of its past (by the way, throughout most of its history, Venezuela wasn't ruled by right-wing governments. Center-left at most). You clearly don't know what you're talking about.

[Marksman_91]

2. Just like Fujimori

Maduro recently came back from a trip to Cuba. Guess he went there to see what his pal Raul suggested to do. These are the results, of course.

Wonder if our resident Chavista apologist will say anything about this.

[COLGATE4]

4. No, they've all gone suddenly mute

[OBenario4]

7. You've been mute too.

Not a single word about everything that the new Brazilian president Michel Temer has done against minorities and the people of Brazil.

[COLGATE4]

9. I really don't know why you think I have any

particular interest in Brazil. I don't.

[OBenario4]

11. I don't know if it's a "particular interest" or not.

I've just seen you attacking their former presidents many times.

[COLGATE4]

12. I've tried to politely tell you I'm not interested.

Since that does not seem to have penetrated, welcome to my 'Ignore' list.

[OBenario4]

13. It's not that I didn't understand. I simply don't care if you are or not interested.

It's a forum. You don't have to be interested to be replied or contested when you post anything stupid.