Venezuela's chief prosecutor fought back today at what she branded a trumped-up bid by authorities to put her on trial for defying the government over its handling of a deadly political crisis.
Luisa Ortega refused to appear in the Supreme Court to answer charges of misconduct, cranking up the tension in a standoff with President Nicolas Maduro.
Ortega, 59, is the most senior figure to defy Maduro as he fends off opposition efforts to remove him from power in the volatile oil-exporting nation.
"I have not turned up to the Supreme Court. I am not going condone a circus that will stain our history with shame and pain and whose decision is foretold," Ortega told a news conference at the public prosecution department.
"I am not going to submit to this unconstitutional and illegitimate court," she added. "We already know that today I will be removed from my post."
Ortega's stand has raised the prospect of a split in the government camp that could tip the balance in a deadly power struggle.
The socialist president is under pressure after three months of unrest that prosecutors say have left 90 people dead.
The opposition vowed to block streets today in the latest protests against Maduro's crisis reform plans.
Ortega launched a legal challenge against the government on human rights grounds, and a case against Supreme Court judges.
Pro-government lawmaker Pedro Carreno responded by filing charges against her alleging "serious errors in the carrying out of her functions."
He also alleged she was suffering from "insanity" and should be fired.
Last week, the Supreme Court ordered Ortega's assets to be frozen and banned her from leaving the country.
The court began its hearing in her absence.
It earlier named a new deputy chief prosecutor to replace Ortega when she is fired: government ally Katherine Harrington.
Harrington was targeted by US sanctions in 2015 for alleged human rights breaches in jailing opposition leaders.
Ortega backed the "chavista" socialist movement launched by Maduro's late predecessor Hugo Chavez.
But she broke ranks with the current president in March.
She accused the Supreme Court of undermining democracy through a short-lived ruling that seized power from the opposition-led legislature. The opposition says the court is packed with Maduro's allies.
That court ruling was one of the moves that sparked the current wave of protests.
As violence swelled, Ortega renewed her criticism of the authorities, accusing police of killing protesters. She enraged Maduro.
"It makes me sick that traitors pretend to speak in the name of commander Chavez and come out in support of our violent opponents," he said recently.
Maduro retains the public support of army chief Vladimir Padrino Lopez -- a key factor for him to stay in power.
But the president last month said he was replacing four other senior commanders of the armed forces.
"Maduro's persecution of dissident chavistas will embolden the opposition to continue protesting, with increased repression stoking public outrage," analysts from the Eurasia Group consultancy said last week in a note.
Maduro has infuriated his opponents by launching a plan to form an assembly to rewrite the constitution.
Opponents say he will pack the "constituent assembly" with his allies to cling to power.
Voting for members of the assembly is scheduled for July 30. The opposition on Monday said it would hold a popular vote against that on July 16.
"The next major flashpoint will be the election on 30 July of delegates to the Constituent Assembly," Eurasia wrote.
"However, the political crisis is so fluid that the country could reach a tipping point before then.
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