Venezuela government allies seize legislative powers

CARACAS: Venezuela’s new pro-government constitutional authority declared Friday it was seizing power from the opposition-led legislature, tightening President Nicolas Maduro’s grip on the country in

It was the latest maneuver in a deadly political crisis that has seen Maduro branded a dictator by opponents, whom he in turn accuses of plotting with the United States to overthrow him.

The Constituent Assembly unanimously adopted a decree authorizing it to “take over functions to legislate on matters directly concerned with ensuring peace, security, sovereignty, the - tems, state assets and upholding Venezuelans’ rights.”

The opposition-led National Assembly rejected the move.

“The NCA is null and its acts are illegal and unconstitutional,” the body

Supreme public power

The center-right opposition says the new constituent assembly is a ploy by Maduro to tighten his grip on power.

It was ostensibly set up to rewrite the constitution but has been handed sweeping powers to override all other branches of government.

“All the organs of public power are subordinate to the National Constituent Assembly,” said the decree, read out at Friday’s session.

The body’s 545 members, all Maduro allies, were elected on July 30 in polls marred by violence and allegations of fraud.

“We will not permit any more diverting of power” by the opposition, said the assembly’s president, Maduro’s former foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez.

“The constituent assembly here to impose order.”

One of the assembly’s first moves after being elected was to Luisa Ortega, who had become Maduro’s most senior critic.

She hit back on Friday by claiming she had evidence implicating Maduro and his inner circle in an international bribery scandal involving Brazilian is

“They are very worried and anxious, because they know we have details on all the cooperation, amounts and people who got rich, and that investigation involves Mr. Nicolas Maduro and his inner circle,” Ortega told a meeting of Latin American prosecutors in Mexico by video conference.

Ortega and her husband German Ferrer, a prominent lawmaker who faced an arrest warrant at home, turned up later Friday in Colombia,

These officials did not specify what immigration status the couple had or if they are seeking protection from the government of Colombia, which has joined other countries in slamming Maduro as trying to crush democracy in his country.