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Luis Almagro, secretary-general of the Organization of American States, fired another volley at the government of Nicolas Maduro, demanding for executive branch intervention in the Venezuelan justice system and lobbying for a reversal of a recent ruling regarding voting irregularities.
Almagro intervened in the dispute between the right-wing leadership of Venezuela’s National Assembly and the electoral chamber of the Supreme Court over the suspension of the swearing-in of lawmakers from the state of Amazonas over alleged voting irregularities, saying “perceived” partiality erodes the rule of law’s credibility.
Despite these accusations, it was widely reported that President Nicolas Maduro immediately recognized the results that saw the right-wing MUD coalition win control of the National Assembly, for the first time in 16 years, and called for peace in the country that has been troubled by election-related violence in the past.
However, the current leadership of the National Assembly was found in contempt of court when it defied a Supreme Court ruling that ordered the suspension of three of the lawmakers.
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Henry Ramos Allup, president of the National Assembly, flouted the Supreme Court’s ruling when he allowed the three lawmakers from the right-wing MUD coalition to take their seats.
The leadership of the National Assembly eventually relented and said they would abide by the court's ruling.
The Supreme Court ruling came at the behest of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, who challenged the results on the grounds of alleged vote buying, a serious crime under the country's electoral laws.
The ruling does not annul the results but rather merely temporarily prevents the lawmakers from taking their seats while authorities determine if the election results were legitimate.
Almagro, however, considers the Supreme Court ruling an effort to undermine the results of the election, arguing that the ruling was "direct blow to the will of the people.”
In his letter, the head of the Organization of American States brushes off the allegations of vote-buying, scorning Venezuela's institutions, and ignoring the precedent set during regional elections in the year 2000, when the Supreme Court ordered new elections in the state of Amazonas after voting irregularities undermined the legitimacy of the vote.
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Socialist lawmaker Diosdado Cabello responded strongly to Almagro's letter, saying that the OAS was an organization “lacking any legitimacy.”
Hopes were raised that, with Almagro's election as secretary-general of the OAS, the regional body would move away from its legacy of interference in the internal affairs of countries.
However, Almagro has been sharply critical of the Venezuelan government, Tuesday's letter was third accusatory letter sent to Venezuela. He also sent a “New Year message” warning Maduro not to “distort” the electoral results of the Dec. 6 parliamentary elections, despite the fact that MUD went on to win a super majority.
Almagro accused the Maduro government of acting “undemocratically” ahead of the Dec. 6 elections.
Despite his insistence that he is defending democratic institutions, Almagro has been silent on Argentine President Mauricio Macri's extensive use of emergency decrees, some of which have been described as unconstitutional.
Macri has also steadfastly refused to call for an extraordinary session of Congress so that the legislature can review the decrees.
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