Venezuelan Congress decides to unseat three controversial lawmakers following court ruling

The leadership of Venezuela's National Assembly (AN) decided on Wednesday to abide by a ruling of the country's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) to remove three opposition lawmakers for suspected electoral fraud in the Dec. 6 elections.

AN President Henry Ramos Allup, of the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), said he "had no problem" with accepting the ruling issued on Dec. 30, which called for the suspension of lawmakers Nirma Guarulla, Julio Ygarza and Romen Guzamana.

The decision by the legislative branch ended a growing dispute between the AN and TSJ. On Jan. 6, the newly elected MUD majority in Congress swore in the three lawmakers, despite the ruling forbidding them from doing so.

After the decision by the leadership on Wednesday, Great Patriotic Pole (GPP) deputy Diosdado Cabello indicated that the left-wing members of the AN were "satisfied" that a clash of powers had been averted.

Left-wing deputy, Hector Rodriguez, who tabled evidence of electoral fraud against the three lawmakers declared that "they had never been deputies."

In December, Rodriguez led an effort by the left-wing to the TSJ to have the electoral results for the southern state of Amazonas thrown out, alleging that four deputies (3 MUD, 1 GPP) had been involved in vote-buying and manipulation.

The TSJ considered the evidence and ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, excluding the four from taking their seats in the AN. Endit