Venezuela SC rejects bill to cut short president Nicolas Maduro's term

The court ruled that applying such an amendment would violate the will of the people who elected him

Venezuela's Supreme Court has rejected a proposed constitutional reform to cut short the term of President Nicolas Maduro, according to a written judgement.

The court ruled yesterday that such an amendment could not be applied retroactively or immediately to Maduro's current term, as proposed in a bill by opposition lawmakers who blame him for a crippling economic crisis.

It said that would violate "the will of the people" who elected him.

The opposition vowed to oust Maduro when it took control of the legislature in January after winning elections.

Lower house lawmakers last week approved a bill proposing to reduce presidential terms from six years to four. That bill would also have to be approved in a referendum to enter into force.
 
The court said in its ruling yesterday that "trying to use a constitutional amendment to cut short immediately a term of office of someone popularly elected, such as the president of the republic, is an act of fraud against the constitution."

Maduro has successfully blocked previous bills in the National Assembly by appealing to the Supreme Court, which critics say he controls.

Attacking Maduro on another front, the opposition has also tried to call a direct referendum on whether to remove him from office. Electoral authorities have blocked that bid, too. Maduro's critics say he also controls the electoral board.

Maduro has vowed to hold on to power and press on with the socialist "revolution" launched by his late predecessor Hugo Chavez.

Venezuela's economy has plunged along with the price of the oil on which it relies for foreign revenues. Citizens are suffering shortages of medicines and goods such as toilet paper and cooking oil.