VENEZUELA SUPREME COURT TRASHES BID TO EXTEND TERM OF SOLONS

Venezuela's Supreme Court declared a move by the opposition-controlled National Assembly to extend its term to next year invalid.

The court's decision means the opposition, led by self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido could lose its last bastion in the South American country's state apparatus, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reported.

Following a disputed parliamentary election on December 6, the National Assembly - in which the opposition has held a majority since 2015 - passed a statute last weekend extending its own term and that of Guaido, "until the holding of free presidential and legislative elections in 2021 (...) or until another one-year term starting January 5, 2021."

However, Venezuela's Supreme Court announced that this violates the constitution.

The recent election resulted in President Nicolas Maduro's leftist alliance gaining an absolute majority in the National Assembly. Guaido lost control of the only government institution that had still been in the hands of the opposition.

The opposition largely boycotted the vote because they did not deem the election free and fair. Guaido declared himself the country's interim leader in 2019, but Maduro has maintained his grip on power with the help of Venezuela's powerful military.

WEEKLY FEATURE

JOSE MARI CHAN AND THE CHRISTMAS ANTHEM