Just in:
ADNOC Gas Signs $400 Million LNG Deal with SEFE // Sharjah Elevates Real‑Estate Platform with New Digital Portal // Coffee Chains Join Bitcoin Mania with Bold Treasury Moves // BoE charts new wholesale terrain for stablecoins and tokenised assets // “Eternal City” Pompeii Exhibition Opens in Hunan, Marking New Sino-Italian Cultural Exchange // Stonepeak Secures Strategic Co-Control of IFCO Stake // Galaxy AI Elevates On‑Device Intelligence with Privacy at Core // Tokyo Real Estate Set for $75 Million Blockchain Shake‑Up // Qingzhen’s Zhanjie Town Leverages Ecological Resources to Drive Industrial Upgrading and Integrate Culture and Tourism for Rural Revitalization // Results of the ixCrypto Index Series Quarterly Review (2025 Q2) & IX Digital Asset Industry Index Series Half Yearly Review (2025 1H) // DNA‑Crafted Nanomachines Self‑Assemble in Water // Abu Dhabi’s Masdar and Iberdrola Back £5 Billion UK Offshore Wind Venture // Nigeria’s Coastal Highway Passes $747 m Funding Milestone // Anhui Unveils Teaser for 2025 World Manufacturing Convention, Extending a Global Invitation to Innovate Together // Air Arabia Reinitiates Sharjah–Damascus Flights // Can India Emerge As The Trusted Leader Of Global South Like Earlier Years? // Behomes Launches Behomes Hub – Cashback & Networking App for Real Estate Professionals // Ten Tips for a Healthy Summer Garden // Musk Alleges Grok Was Misled and Predicts Tech Breakthroughs // IIT Delhi and TeamLease EdTech Kick‑start AI for Healthcare Executive Programme //

Venezuelan authorities try to defuse court row 'coup', urge review

By Girish Gupta and Andrew Cawthorne
| CARACAS

ADVERTISEMENT

CARACAS Venezuelan authorities called on the Supreme Court on Saturday to review its decision this week to annul the opposition-led congress, which critics have decried as a “coup” and a lurch into dictatorship.

President Nicolas Maduro said in an address on state television in the early hours of the morning that the conflict between the Supreme Court and National Assembly had been overcome, but gave no details.

Maduro, flanked by senior officials, introduced his Vice President Tareck El Aissami.

“(We) urge the Supreme Court to review the decisions … in order to maintain institutional stability and the balance of powers,” El Aissami said.

The court’s move to assume Congress’ responsibilities has sparked international condemnation and protests across Caracas.

In a rare show of dissent from a senior official, Venezuela’s powerful attorney general Luisa Ortega, long an ally of Maduro, rebuked the court on Friday.

“It constitutes a rupture of the constitutional order,” the 59-year-old said in a speech on state television. “It’s my obligation to express my great concern to the country.”

The pro-Maduro Supreme Court said on Wednesday it was taking over the legislature’s role because it was in “contempt” of the law. It has shot down most of the National Assembly’s measures since the opposition won control in 2015.

PROTESTS, CONDEMNATION

The country’s disparate opposition called for protests on Saturday. However, after years of failure on the streets, it is unlikely these will develop into the wave of anti-Maduro unrest seen in 2014.

Maduro, 54, a former bus driver and self-declared “son” of late leftist predecessor Hugo Chavez, was narrowly elected president in 2013.

His ratings have plummeted as Venezuelans struggle with a fourth year of recession, scarcities of food and medicines and what is thought to be the world’s highest inflation.

Critics blame a failing socialist system, whereas the government says its enemies are waging an “economic war”. The fall in oil prices since mid-2014 has exacerbated the crisis.

The Supreme Court’s power grab brought condemnations and concern from the United States, Organization of American States (OAS), European Union, United Nations and major Latin American nations.

Ally Russia bucked the trend, urging the world to leave Venezuela alone.

Maduro accuses Washington of leading a push to topple him as part of a wider offensive against leftists in Latin America.

OAS head Luis Almagro, whom the Venezuelan government views as a pawn of Washington, has been pushing for its suspension from the 34-nation regional bloc, which has announced an extraordinary meeting for Monday to debate Venezuela.

(Additional reporting by Diego Ore and Deisy Buitrago in Caracas; Editing by Kim Coghill)

-Reuters


Notice an issue?

Arabian Post strives to deliver the most accurate and reliable information to its readers. If you believe you have identified an error or inconsistency in this article, please don't hesitate to contact our editorial team at editor[at]thearabianpost[dot]com. We are committed to promptly addressing any concerns and ensuring the highest level of journalistic integrity.


ADVERTISEMENT