Sacking sparks outrage

A NEW assembly loyal to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro fired Attorney General Luisa Ortega at the weekend, triggering a firestorm of condemnation from the US and Latin American nations.

“The United States condemns (the) illegal removal” of Ms Ortega, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert tweeted, adding the move was aimed at tightening the “authoritarian dictatorship of (the) Maduro regime”.

Colombia, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, and Peru equally slammed the decision, made by the Constituent Assembly as its very first order of business a week after it was elected in a vote marred by violence and fraud allegations.

The assembly also said Ms Ortega (pictured) could face trial for “irregularities” from her time in office and she was forbidden from leaving the country.

Ms Ortega, who was barred by dozens of soldiers from entering her offices in Caracas, refused to recognise her sacking, or the assembly’s swearing in of Tarek William Saab, the national ombudsman, in her place.

“I am not giving up, Venezuela is not giving up and will not give up against barbarity, illegality, hunger, darkness and death,” she said.