Venezuela ruling party cracks down on opposition lawmakers

Caracas, Venezuela — Venezuela’s pro-government constitutional assembly stripped two opposition lawmakers of their immunity from prosecution on Wednesday, accusing them of having roles in a drone attack that authorities say was an attempt to kill socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

The National Constituent Assembly voted unanimously to lift the protection for Julio Borges and Juan Requesens, who have seats in the opposition-controlled legislature. The move came after the supreme court ordered the arrest of Borges, who lives in exile in Colombia’s capital, Bogota. Requesens was arrested on Tuesday.

Maduro has accused the two of being tied to a weekend incident in which two drones loaded with explosives detonated while he spoke at an outdoor military celebration.

Wednesday’s developments threaten to deepen Venezuela’s political crisis as opposition lawmakers accuse the government’s ruling party of using the alleged attack to clamp down on the opposition.

Constituent Assembly leader Diosdado Cabello said Borges and Requesens were just the first lawmakers to be accused in the investigation of the incident.

“These are the first two who appear to be involved, but the investigation continues,” Cabello said. “Justice is coming.”

In ordering the 48-year-old Borges’ arrest, the supreme court accused him of “flagrant crimes,” including public incitement, treason to the fatherland and attempted homicide.

During a national television broadcast on Tuesday, Maduro accused Requesens, 29, and Borges of complicity in the weekend drone explosions.

Maduro said statements from some of the six suspects arrested earlier had implicated the two lawmakers, as well as key financiers.

“Several of the declarations indicated Julio Borges. The investigations point to him,” Maduro said, though he provided no details of Borges’ alleged role.

On Wednesday, Borges, who has rejected the accusation, met with top lawmakers in Colombia, which has blamed Maduro’s government for causing the crisis that has led to masses of Venezuelans fleeing across the border into the neighboring country.

“We want to see you out of power, imprisoned for the violation of human rights, imprisoned for the destruction of democracy,” Borges said. “The only promoter of violence is a man named Nicolas Maduro.”

Antonio Ledezma, an opposition leader and exiled mayor of Caracas who now lives in Spain, stood alongside Borges in Bogota.