MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – President Nicolas Maduro said the opposition-led National Assembly of Venezuela attempted a coup by taking the decision on declaring him abandoned his post and called for the public authorities not to allow impunity for breaching the Constitution.
"As President I ask the public authorities not to let the violations of the Constitution and disrespect for the legal order go unpunished. Yesterday [on Monday] the National Assembly adopted a coup manifesto," Maduro said Tuesday, as quoted by El Universal newspaper.
Venezuelan parliament declared Monday that Maduro abandoned his post as result of dereliction of duty, local media reported, adding that the total of 106 lawmakers voted in favor of this decision. Later in the day, the state’s Supreme Court said that the parliament did not have the authority to dismiss Maduro from office.
On October 25, 2016, the opposition-led National Assembly of Venezuela voted for initiating impeachment proceedings against Maduro and ordered him to appear at a Congress session on November 1. The parliament’s resolution mentioned the president’s "criminal and political liability and neglect of office."
However, Venezuelan government dismissed the move, since impeachment is not stipulated by the country’s constitution as a legal procedure. On November 1, the parliament suspended the impeachment proceedings.
