Venezuelan Congress begins impeachment against Maduro

By Maria Paz Salas

SANTIAGO, Chile

Opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly of Venezuela on Tuesday approved the start of proceedings to impeach President Nicolas Maduro for “constitutional violations”.

The proceedings are unlikely to be effective but could raise international awareness about the situation in the country, according to The National newspaper.

The measure was approved while members of the government protested during the session.

Congress also voted to force Maduro to testify Nov. 1 in front of the full legislature.

The opposition wants the president to answer for the political crisis in which the opposition is struggling to put through a recall agenda against Maduro. Venezuela is also struggling with an economic crisis as citizens complain about a lack of basic supplies and medicine as inflation there has reached the highest in the world at just a notch below 19 percent.

“The debate is something that never happened before and may have implications for a criminal trial, to ask an impeachment for Maduro and to open a parallel process,” according to opposition leader Julio Borges.

Lawmakers on Sunday accused the government of an alleged coup after the recall process was suspended last week by the country’s electoral authority.

The opposition blames the government of mismanagement and corruption while Maduro has said the United States and its allies are responsible for the country’s crisis.

Both sides on Monday announced a dialogue process that would be begin next week.