Venezuela Socialist-Controlled Supreme Court Shuts Down Legislative Branch
In a move the Organization of American States called a "self-inflicted coup."
Jose Sierralta/newzulu/NewscomAfter a months-long standoff in Venezuela that included the Socialist-controlled Supreme Court overturning many of the opposition-controlled National Assembly's decisions, the court has explicitly ruled it will now act as the legislative branch, Reuters reports. "As long as the situation of contempt in the National Assembly continues," the court ruled, "this constitutional chamber guarantees congressional functions will be exercised by this chamber or another chosen organ."
The secretary general of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro, called the action a "self-inflicted coup d´état perpetrated by the Venezuelan regime against the National Assembly." Several Latin American countries, including Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, expressed concerns and Peru withdrew its envoy, which Venezuela's foreign minister called "rude support for the violent and extremist sectors in Venezuela."
The opposition won control of the National Assembly in late 2015 as the long socialist project in Venezuela was coming to a brutal and inevitable head. Since then, the government has doubled-down on the kind of centrally planned and redistributionist policies that brought Venezuela to where it is in the first place. Instead of changing course, the government has found more and more scapegoats and "enemies" to blame for the economic crisis. Earlier this month, the socialist government accused bakers of waging "economic war" against the country and started arresting them for making bread rolls.
The United States and the European Union also chimed in on the latest developments in Venezuela. A spokesperson for the State Department said the U.S. condemned the "decision to usurp the power of the democratically elected National Assembly" and called it "a serious setback for democracy," while the E.U. called for a "clear electoral calendar." The opposition has called for early presidential elections as the popularity of President Nicolas Maduro continues to scrape new lows. The government responded by accusing a "right-wing regional pact" of plotting against it. State-controlled Telesur TV called the characterization of the court's decision as a coup "fake news," insisting the court's ruling was because the occupants of 3 of the 167 seats in the legislature were accused of voting irregularities. The opposition controls 112 seats. Maduro tried to dissolve the legislature last year after it attempted to launch a recall effort against him.
U.S. responses to the crisis in Venezuela in recent years have largely been profoundly unproductive. A few months after the opposition party wrested control of the legislature, President Obama renewed the U.S. declaration of Venezuela as a a "national security risk," providing Maduro and the socialists new ammunition to smear opposition as foreign stooges. Yesterday, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) joined Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in condemning the court's power grab, calling it "an attack on what remained of democratic institutions in Venezuela" and Maduro "an unhinged dictator who has systematically dismantled democracy in this country." The two also met with various opposition lawmakers. Menendez, who has called for an "independent" investigation of Russia's alleged interference in the U.S. election, should be keenly aware of how his words and actions could be weaponized by the ruling party in Venezuela and used against the opposition.
For Venezuelans, liberation from socialism won't come from the U.S. or the OAS or any foreign actor. Instead it will come from within, with the help of the kind of decentralized technology that is challenging state power around the world, like Bitcoin:
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"As long as the situation of contempt in the National Assembly continues," the court ruled, "this constitutional chamber guarantees congressional functions will be exercised by this chamber or another chosen organ."
Reminds me of what Obama was essentially saying when he was president with his executive orders and we know the proggies would like the supreme court to do the same to the republican controlled congress and many lower courts are acting that way with Trump. So i see little difference between Venezuela and what the left is trying to do in America.
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The amusing part of this is going to see how the Maduro supporters in the US, Canada and Europe justify it.
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You mean like the random judges staying the same travel ban from Trump that was OK when Obama did it?
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The difference between here and there is that we've got smug, college-educated white people leading the charge whereas they've got those brown-skinned little people what don't know no better in charge. Socialism will work here just fine as long as you've got people like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton shouldering the white man's burden, helping out the little ignorant savages that don't know or appreciate what's for their own good and re-educating the deplorable ones who keep voting against their own self-interest because they've been brain-washed by the Kochtopus.
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In this case, the courts are *supporting* what the executive, Maduro, is doing, in overturning legislative actions.
In the other, courts are *opposing* what the executive is doing.I suppose it depend on whether you generally think that the executive should be allowed to rule through EO and the courts should support them in that.
It's possible to believe that the executive should be held in check by the courts, and hence simultaneously oppose what Obama did, and support what the courts are now doing against Trump, and oppose what the Venezuelan courts are doing here. The judicial branch (in the US) can't pass new laws, all they can do is strike down existing ones. They're the most libertarian branch of government as a result. In this case, of course the Venezuelan court is trying to usurp legislative power in support of the executive, which is a violation of that mission.
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Shouldn't is not the same as can't or hasn't. I see plenty of news laws and taxes coming out if the judiciary these days.
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The tax penalty for the ACA was passed by congress.
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where did my brilliant comment go?
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there it is nevermind
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The squirrelz were taking a moment to bask in it's glow.
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I remain unconvinced that BitCoin will free Venezuela from authoritarian Socials rule. Yes, it will allow people to get by, but it won't stop the police or army from rounding up and imprisoning dissenters or errant bread bakers.
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"Socialist rule"
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"U.S. responses to the crisis in Venezuela in recent years have largely been profoundly unproductive."
Not sure what to make of Obama's action, on the one hand the timing might have been counterproductive (given Obama's sympathies this may not have been accidental) on the other hand, it was a fair assessment, particularly given that these recent actions have shown the Assembly to be no threat to Venezuela's socialist death spiral.
Likewise Menendez and Rubio's remarks aren't exactly at odds with reality.
Seems rather weak of Ed to criticize without offering any plausible alternative approach.
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There isn't any plausible alternative.
Besides, Venezuela is too good a bad example to waste.
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"There isn't any plausible alternative."
Personally I agree, but that only begs the question of why criticize at all?
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Yep, Ed's an asshole - just criticizing somebody else's attempt to build a perpetual-motion machine instead of doing something constructive and helping build a perpetual-motion machine of his own.
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Criticism just emboldens the opposition, which is why ed just criticized the criticizers... Er, hold on, it must make sense somehow...
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Yesterday, Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) joined Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in condemning the court's power grab, calling it "an attack on what remained of democratic institutions in Venezuela" and Maduro "an unhinged dictator who has systematically dismantled democracy in this country." The two also met with various opposition lawmakers. Menendez, who has called for an "independent" investigation of Russia's alleged interference in the U.S. election, should be keenly aware of how his words and actions could be weaponized by the ruling party in Venezuela and used against the opposition.
Bullshit. Call it like it is. People said the same crap about Reagan calling out the Soviets, and they were wrong, and he was right.
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Thanks a lot joe
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HAHAHAHAH. Bitcoin will save them?! I can see the exchange now.
"Your feeble guns and prisons are no match for my pi nano miners! I can generate 50billion keys per SECOND! Look upon my entropy and TREMBLE!"
BANG.
The end.
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Instead of changing course, the government has found more and more scapegoats and "enemies" to blame for the economic crisis.
Stupid (and immoral) is as stupid (and immoral) does.
I long for the day that socialists realize that their ideology is antithetical to human nature and, therefor, can never work.
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"U.S. responses to the crisis in Venezuela in recent years have largely been profoundly unproductive."
This is better than Shikha Dalmia's article yesterday claiming that we're responsible for India's internal politics, but sheesh. What are we supposed to do about Venezuela?
It's hard to advocate principled libertarian inaction when people think the U.S. is ultimately responsible for everything bad that happens in the world--including the weather.
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I have to believe people inside the Venezuelan government by this point are aware that the socialist experiment has failed and are trying to figure out how to end it while saving their own skins.
They can't just admit that they were wrong, of course. They have to find ways to liberalize the economy, without losing control. Otherwise a violent revolution or military coup is on the horizon.
I predict a military coup within 3 years.
Sooner or later, some general's nephew is going to get shot in a bread riot by armed regime supporters or something and that guy is going to get fed up. And the saner heads in the government will get together and decide that their necks are on the line if they don't act.