No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveVenezuelan opposition wants court ruling on Chávez crisis

Venezuelan opposition wants court ruling on Chávez crisis

CARACAS – Venezuela’s top opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to rule on whether cancer-stricken President Hugo Chávez’s re-inauguration can be postponed, as his government argues.

“I do not know what the judges of the Supreme Court are waiting for. Right now in Venezuela, without any doubt whatsoever, a constitutional conflict has arisen,” Capriles said.

Chávez is scheduled to take the oath of office on Thursday following his October re-election win, but he is recovering from cancer surgery in Cuba, his fourth operation in 18 months, and it’s not clear he will make it to the ceremony in Caracas.

Government officials say the presidential swearing-in ceremony is merely a formality that can be delayed, but the opposition says the constitution must be respected.

The constitution says new elections must be held within 30 days if the president-elect dies or is permanently incapacitated either before he takes office or in the first four years of his six-year term.

Capriles also urged Latin American leaders to stay away from a pro-Chávez rally convened by the government for Thursday in place of the inauguration.

So far, Uruguay’s President José Mugica, Bolivia’s President Evo Morales and Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño of Ecuador are the only ones to confirm their attendance.

Capriles urged regional leaders not to succumb to “a game by a political party” – alluding to Venezuela’s ruling party. He mentioned by name the presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia and Ecuador.

Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said late Monday that Chávez’s medical condition had remained “stable” since the latest complication from surgery was reported four days ago.

Chávez is suffering from a severe pulmonary infection that has resulted in weak breathing, officials have said.

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Poás Volcano Park Reopening to Tourists With Safety Measures

The Poás Volcano National Park will reopen its doors to tourism starting July 30, after  scientific entities reported a decrease in volcanic activity. This was...

Empty Stadiums and Inequality Mar Women’s Copa América

Nearly empty stadiums, players' criticism of the organization, and demands for equality in South American football have marked the 2025 Women's Copa América in...

Costa Rica Seeks New Air Routes Amid Decline in European Tourism

Costa Rica is working to increase the number of international flights entering the country, as it faces a concerning drop in tourist arrivals.  The...

Costa Rica Celebrates 201st Annexation Anniversary With New Nicoya Park

Nearly 200 people joined the Municipality of Nicoya this Sunday to inaugurate a new park at the Annexation Monument, an initiative that blends recreation,...

UN Denounces Guatemala Over ‘Inhuman’ Indigenous Evictions

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, Balakrishnan Rajagopal, called on the Guatemalan government on Friday to halt the “inhuman”...

Venezuelan Migrants Describe Torture After Deportation to El Salvador

“You’re going to rot in here. You’ll spend 300 years in prison.” That’s what Maikel Olivera says guards repeatedly told him during his four-month...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica