Venezuela court hints power grab

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s Supreme Court has ruled that it can take over responsibilities assigned to congress in what opponents of President Nicolas Maduro are decrying as the latest attempt to install a dictatorship in the South American nation.

In a decision late Wednesday night, the magistrates said that as long as lawmakers remain in contempt of past court rulings nullifying all legislation coming out of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, the high court can step in and assume congressional duties itself.

Peru’s government immediately recalled its ambassador in protest and condemnations poured in from several regional governments. The head of the Organization of American States called for an emergency meeting to deal with what he called a “self-inflicted coup d’etat” by Maduro against the congress.

Julio Borges, the assembly’s president, said that while past decisions had stripped power from congress, this move allows Maduro to rule by fiat. Several opposition leaders called for a new round of demonstrations, although recent attempts to apply street pressure on the government have failed to attract a large following.

“Maduro is now the National Assembly,” Borges told The Associated Press. “It’s one thing to try and build a dictatorship and another to complete the circuit.” Maduro has jailed scores of opponents and ridden roughshod over lawmakers’ powers ever since the opposition swept congressional elections by a landslide in 2015.