Supreme Court Justice Rejects Self-Declared President's Attempt to Install a "Virtual Congress"
The National Assembly of Venezuela, in contempt
of laws it is duty-bound to uphold, amended
regulations to allow fugitive lawmakers living
abroad to vote in parliamentary sessions via the
Internet.
Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) Judge
Juan José
Mendoza, who is the Constitutional Chamber
president, on December 19 ruled that
lawmakers of the National Assembly in contempt
cannot cast their vote in parliamentary debates if
they are not present in the country.
"We declare the nullity of any modification that
the National
Assembly in contempt has made to the norm that
regulates
parliamentary debates," Judge Mendoza said.
The day before, Bolivarian lawmakers, who are
part of the "Homeland Block" that rejoined the
National Assembly in September, asked the TSJ to
annul a modification of the debate law which
allows exiled or fugitive lawmakers living abroad
to vote as if they were physically present in
Venezuela. In response to this request, the
Supreme Court judge indicated that, besides being
unconstitutional, such a modification is an
absurdity without precedent in comparable law.
"There is no virtual parliament anywhere in the
world. All of them have physical headquarters,"
the judge said.
The Homeland Block also warned that this
modification is part
of a strategy of opposition politicians, who seek
to boycott the
2020 parliamentary elections, to stay in power.
Currently, Venezuelan legal norms establish that
when the
absence of lawmakers occurs, their respective
substitutes must
assume their seats to participate in legislative
actions.
In this context, the opposition-backed "Distance
Voting"
proposal represents an obvious attempt to prevent
lawmakers from
being replaced by their substitutes.
"The right-wing politicians seek to overthrow a
legitimate and constitutional government. We
reject intentions of violating the Constitution
approved by the Venezuelan people," lawmaker Julio
Chavez said.
The amendment to the internal regulations of the
National Assembly in contempt was approved by the
U.S.-backed lawmaker Juan Guaidó.
This article was published in
Volume 49 Number 32 - December 21, 2019
Article Link:
Supreme Court Justice Rejects Self-Declared President's Attempt to Install a "Virtual Congress"
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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