Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice reversed a prior ruling to shut down the National Assembly on April 2. The court effectively dissolved [4] the legislature in its decision just four days earlier. The Supreme Court and Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro [5] both support [6] the Socialist Party, while the opposition party leads the legislature. Protests broke out after the original decision last week, with protesters accusing the Socialist Party of creating a "dictatorship." The international community also voiced opposition. A special state security committee persuaded the court to reverse their decision.
There has been considerable tension between the pro-government controlled Supreme Tribunal of Justice and the opposition-majority National Assembly of Venezuela following the December 2015 election [7]. Last November the National Assembly postponed a symbolic trial of President Nicolas Maduro in an effort ease political tension [8] in the nation. In October the National Assembly voted to open criminal impeachment proceedings [9] against Maduro, alleging that he manipulated the constitution to remain in power. That same month, the Assembly also declared [10] that there is a breakdown of constitutional order and that the government had staged a coup by blocking an attempt to remove Maduro from power.
From Jurist [11], April 4. Used wth permission.
