Turkey- Opposition takes control of Venezuela National Assembly

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Opposition deputies on Tuesday took control of Venezuela's National Assembly for the first time in 16 years after winning a landslide victory in last month’s parliamentary elections.

The Democratic Unity Roundtable or MUD won 112 seats -- a two-thirds majority that theoretically awards it significant powers to challenge the rule of President Nicolas Maduro and his Socialist Party the PSUV which on Dec. 6. took 55 seats.

But three lawmakers however have been barred by the Supreme Court from taking their seats amid corruption accusations in a move the opposition labeled a "judicial coup" and "unconstitutional".

One PSUV deputy was also barred from taking office for the new five-year session of the National Assembly that runs until 2021.

Analysts say Tuesday's swearing-in sets the stage for a major showdown between MUD -- a coalition of opposition parties --and Maduro's ruling party which has never shared power.

Central to the conflict will be plans to liberalize the country's destitute economy and attempts to release political prisoners including prominent opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez who received a more than 13-year jail sentence in 2015 after being convicted of inciting violence in deadly anti-government protests that rocked the country in 2014.

The government has vowed to oppose any attempts to free Lopez whom it brands a "murderer" or any policy that reduces the country's social programs.

Maduro the hand-picked successor of the popular late Hugo Chavez has moved to curb the opposition's potential new powers including last-minute nominations of Supreme Court judges and the removal of lawmakers' powers to appoint central bank directors which now lie exclusively with the executive branch.

The move has galvanized calls from some hardline opposition members to prioritize a challenge to Maduro's presidency which it could do in theory after he reaches the midpoint of his six-year term in April – should its super majority eventually be formalized.

Veteran opposition deputy Henry Ramos Allup has been elected to lead the National Assembly. News site NTN24 said Allup was stopped by guards and government supporters from entering his office Monday seen by some as a sign of a looming conflict given many of the country's institutions are still controlled by the government.

Even without the two-thirds majority the opposition should be able to pass most of the laws it wants as the president has limited powers to veto legislation. However a super majority however would mean far greater powers including those to appoint and remove Supreme Court judges and prepare referendum-dependent constitutional amendments.

Despite fears December's parliamentary elections went off without violence although the electoral council was criticized for delays in announcing the results which Maduro later said he would accept.

Analysts say the government's stinging defeat is rooted in the dismal state of the country's economy shortages of staple goods and rampant crime.

Venezuela's recession-hit economy slumped a predicted 10 percent in 2015 and annual inflation is now estimated to be in the triple digits.

The economy is expected to fall by another percent in 2016 and the jobless rate expected to top 18 percent.

By Ben Tavener