Venezuela’s national assembly sworn in after opposition party sweeps elections

World Today

The National Assembly in Venezuela met for the first time since the opposition party won a majority in legislative elections — marking the first time in 17 years they’ve controlled the legislature.

Since the late Hugo Chavez took power in 1999, this assembly had been entirely dominated by his followers. Now it is the reverse: a veteran opposition politician – Henry Ramos – is the Assembly’s president.

CCTV America’s Stephen Gibbs reports from Caracas.

There had been suggestions that this Assembly would never meet. However while some die-hard government supporters did try to block the way, all the opposition deputies made it inside.

Some have argued that that control of parliament does not amount to control of this country.

President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly made it clear that he will seek to block the effectiveness of the National Assembly. Any vote, for example, to release jailed opposition politicians, he said, will be vetoed by the government-controlled supreme court.

Maduro also said efforts to quiz central bank officials about the perilous state of the Venezuelan economy will not be allowed.


Council of the America’s Eric Farnsworth on Venezuela’s assembly meeting
CCTV America’s Mike Walter interviewed Eric Farnsworth, vice president at the Council of the Americas, about the latest in Venezuela.