Venezuelan Supreme Court Restores Power to National Assembly

The Venezuelan Supreme Court ruled out to return legislative powers to the country’s parliament, the National Assembly, according to media reports.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Venezuelan Supreme Court has decided to return legislative powers to the country’s parliament, the National Assembly, and immunity to its lawmakers, media reported Saturday.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Venezuela ruled that it would assume the powers of the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition majority.

According to the Blu Radio, the constitutional chamber of the Supreme Court has passed two "clarifying" regulations, which cancel rulings on assuming the parliamentary powers and depriving lawmakers of the National Assembly of their immunity. The documents were published on Saturday morning after the meeting of the Security Council headed by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Earlier in the day, Maduro said the controversy between the Venezuelan Supreme Court and the country’s National Assembly had been overcome.

Venezuela is currently in the state of economic emergency, announced by Maduro in January 2016 amid widespread food shortages, hyperinflation and anti-government protests.

In October 2016, the parliament voted for initiating impeachment proceedings against the president, which were later dismissed by the Venezuelan government. On January 9, the parliament declared that Maduro abandoned his post as result of dereliction of duty, but the Supreme Court of Justice stated that the National Assembly did not have the constitutional powers to declare abandonment. Maduro classified the parliament’s actions as a coup attempt.