Opposition in Venezuela Protests Supreme Court's Control Over Parliament

Opponents of the Venezuelan government protested on Friday, April 11, in response to what has been described as the judiciary's attempt to dominate the Venezuelan Parliament. Reuters reporters from Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, reported that protesters marched towards the Venezuelan Parliament, chanting slogans against the judiciary and the Supreme Court, accusing it of trying to seize control of the Parliament. The National Assembly of Venezuela has been out of Nicolás Maduro's control since the opposition's victory in the 2015 elections, but during this time, the government and judiciary have annulled many of its decisions. In the latest of these actions, the Supreme Court of Venezuela announced that the National Assembly could not continue its work due to 'disrespect' towards the law. This has angered Maduro's opponents, who accuse the Supreme Court of siding with the president and claim that Maduro intends to create a coup against the representatives of the people. The report reflects parts of a speech by Miguel Pizarro, a member of the National Assembly, who told protesters on Friday, 'We must not surrender or stop our protests. We must demand our rights.' The Supreme Court's decision has also sparked global condemnation, with the United States, the European Union, several Latin American countries, and some senior UN human rights officials taking a stance against it. Meanwhile, only Russia has taken a contrary position, urging the world to leave Venezuela alone. Moscow stated that 'foreign forces should not fan the flames of conflict in Venezuela.' Nicolás Maduro has consistently accused Washington of attempting to overthrow his government. However, Reuters notes that so far, it seems that the Trump administration has other priorities or has not fully clarified its policy towards Venezuela. Maduro, 54, came to power following the death of leftist President Hugo Chávez in 2013, claiming to be Chávez's successor and 'son.' Under Maduro's leadership, Venezuela has faced a severe economic crisis, which particularly led to widespread protests last fall. In this context, the U.S. has sanctioned the Vice President of Venezuela on charges of 'drug trafficking.' The economic situation has forced Venezuelan women to sell their hair, and there have been nationwide protests against the economic crisis.