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{{Short description|Venezuelan supreme court}} | |||
{{about|the Supreme Tribunal of Justice which is considered illegitimate by some countries in the Americas and Europe<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.diariolasamericas.com/america-latina/senado-chileno-reconoce-fiscal-y-al-tsj-el-exilio-como-autoridades-legitimas-venezuela-n4157360|title=Senado chileno reconoce al TSJ en el exilio como autoridad legítima de Venezuela|work=]|access-date=2018-07-12|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/2018/10/04/parlamento-chileno-aprueba-proyecto-que-reconoce-la-legitimidad-del-tsj-venezolano-en-el-exilio/|title=Parlamento chileno aprueba proyecto que reconoce la legitimidad del TSJ venezolano en el exilio|date=2018-10-04|work=]|access-date=2018-10-05|language=es-ES}}</ref> | |||
|the Supreme Tribunal of Justice appointed by the National Assembly in 2017| Supreme Tribunal of Justice of Venezuela in exile}} | |||
{{Multiple issues| | |||
{{Update|date=June 2016}} | {{Update|date=June 2016}} | ||
{{Proofreader needed|Tribunal Supremo de Justicia de Venezuela|es|date=May 2019}} | |||
{{Expand Spanish|Tribunal Supremo de Justicia de Venezuela|date=January 2019}} | {{Expand Spanish|Tribunal Supremo de Justicia de Venezuela|date=January 2019}} | ||
}} | |||
{{about|the Supreme Tribunal of Justice which is considered illegitimate by some countries in the Americas and Europe<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.diariolasamericas.com/america-latina/senado-chileno-reconoce-fiscal-y-al-tsj-el-exilio-como-autoridades-legitimas-venezuela-n4157360|title=Senado chileno reconoce al TSJ en el exilio como autoridad legítima de Venezuela|last=|first=|date=|work=]|access-date=2018-07-12|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/2018/10/04/parlamento-chileno-aprueba-proyecto-que-reconoce-la-legitimidad-del-tsj-venezolano-en-el-exilio/|title=Parlamento chileno aprueba proyecto que reconoce la legitimidad del TSJ venezolano en el exilio|last=|first=|date=2018-10-04|work=]|access-date=2018-10-05|language=es-ES}}</ref> | |||
|the Supreme Tribunal of Justice appointed by the National Assembly in 2017| Supreme Tribunal of Justice of Venezuela in exile}} | |||
{{Infobox high court | {{Infobox high court | ||
| court_name = Supreme |
| court_name = Supreme Justice Tribunal | ||
| native_name = |
| native_name = {{lang|es|Tribunal Supremo de Justicia}} | ||
| image = ] | | image = ] | ||
| image2 |
| image2 = TSJ - Caracas, 2010.JPG | ||
| imagesize = | | imagesize = | ||
| caption2 |
| caption2 = TSJ building in Caracas | ||
| established = 1999 | | established = 1999 | ||
| |
| jurisdiction = ] | ||
| location = ] | | location = ] | ||
| coordinates = | | coordinates = | ||
| type = | | type = | ||
| authority = ] | | authority = ] | ||
| |
| appealsto = <!-- appeals of from this court go where --> | ||
| terms = <!-- length of court term for judges--> | | terms = <!-- length of court term for judges--> | ||
| positions = <!-- number of positions/seats on court--> | | positions = <!-- number of positions/seats on court--> | ||
| website = |
| website = | ||
| chiefjudgetitle = President | | chiefjudgetitle = President | ||
| chiefjudgename = |
| chiefjudgename = ] | ||
| termstart = 17 January 2024 | |||
| Maikel José Moreno Pérez (disputed)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://panampost.com/sabrina-martin/2017/02/27/venezuelas-new-supreme-court-president-is-a-convicted-felon-with-a-shady-past/|title=Venezuela’s New Supreme Court President Is a Convicted Felon with a Shady Past|publisher=PanamPost|date=27 February 2017}}</ref> | |||
<!-- year term for current chief as chief ends, if applicable--> | |||
| termstart = July 2017 | |||
| termend = <!-- year term for current chief as chief ends, if applicable--> | |||
| termend2 = <!-- year term of current chief ends if applicable--> | | termend2 = <!-- year term of current chief ends if applicable--> | ||
}} | }} | ||
The '''Supreme Tribunal |
The '''Supreme Justice Tribunal''' ({{langx|es|Tribunal Supremo de Justicia}} or '''TSJ''') is the highest ] in the ] and is the head of the judicial branch. As the independence of the Venezuelan judiciary under the regime of ] is questioned, there have recently been many disputes as to whether this court is legitimate. | ||
The Supreme Tribunal may meet either in specialized chambers (of which there are six: constitutional, political/administrative, electoral, civil, criminal, and social) or in plenary session. Each chamber has five judges, except the constitutional, which has seven. |
The Supreme Tribunal may meet either in specialized chambers (of which there are six: constitutional, political/administrative, electoral, civil, criminal, and social) or in plenary session. Each chamber has five judges, except the constitutional, which has seven. Its main function is to control, according to the ] and related laws, the constitutionality and legality of public acts. | ||
The Supreme Tribunal's 32 |
The Supreme Tribunal's 32 magistrates ''(magistrados)'' are appointed by the ] and serve non-renewable 12-year terms. Appointments are made by a two-thirds majority, or a simple majority if efforts to appoint a judge fail three times in a row. Under article 265 of the 1999 Constitution, judges may be removed by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly, if the Attorney General, Comptroller General, and Human Rights Ombudsperson have previously agreed to a "serious failure" and suspended the judge accordingly. | ||
==History== | ==History and controversies== | ||
The Tribunal was created under the 1999 ], replacing the ]. For some years provisional statutes regulated the number of judges – initially 20, with three in each chamber except the constitutional, which had five – and their selection. The statutes were replaced in 2004 by an ] (a law required to clarify constitutional provisions). The law also permitted the National Assembly to revoke the appointment of a judge, by a simple majority, where a judge had provided false information as to |
The Tribunal was created under the 1999 ], replacing the ]. For some years provisional statutes regulated the number of judges – initially 20, with three in each chamber except the constitutional, which had five – and their selection. The statutes were replaced in 2004 by an ] (a law required to clarify constitutional provisions). The law also permitted the National Assembly to revoke the appointment of a judge, by a simple majority, where a judge had provided false information as to their credentials.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}} | ||
=== |
=== 2002 coup d'état === | ||
In a controversial sentence, on 14 August 2002, after the ], the Supreme Tribunal acquitted Division Generals Efraín Vásquez (Army) and Pedro Pereira (Aviation), Vice-admirant Héctor Ramírez and Counter admiral Daniel Comisso in a rebellion trial. According to the sentence, "con los pronunciamientos efectuados en abril, los altos oficiales acusados no desconocieron al Gobierno, sino la orden dictada por el presidente de la República de aplicar el Plan Ávila, porque resultaba contraria a la protección de los derechos humanos de la ciudadanía y ello significaría una masacre".<ref> El Universal. 15.08.2002</ref>(With the pronouncements made in April, the accused high-ranking officials did not ignore the Government, but the order issued by the President of the Republic to apply the Avila Plan, because it was contrary to the protection of the human rights of citizens and this would mean a massacre.) | |||
The sentence argued that there was a "power vacuum" after the Military High Command chief, General ] announced that Chávez had resigned from office. The discontent of the Venezuelan government was considerable; Chávez condemned the sentenced, stating "Esos once magistrados no tienen moral para tomar ningún otro tipo de decisión, son unos inmorales y deberían publicar un libro con sus rostros para que el pueblo los conozca. Pusieron la plasta".<ref name="abc_1"> ABC. 18.08.2002</ref>(Those eleven magistrates have no moral to make any other kind of decision, they are immoral and should publish a book with their faces so that the people know them. They put the plasta). Chávez announced a strategy to revert the decision, creating a commission in the National Assembly to review the stay of the justices in the Supreme Tribunal, saying that "No nos vamos a quedar con esa, ahora lo que viene es un contraataque del pueblo y de las instituciones verdaderas, contraataque revolucionario" and that "Así que la AN que los nombró tiene que asumir su tarea, para evaluarlos y el que no tenga los requisitos habrá que sacarlo de allí".<ref name="abc_1" />(We are not going to stay with that, now what is coming is a counterattack of the people and the real institutions, revolutionary counterattack" and that "So the AN that appointed them has to assume its task, to evaluate them and whoever does not have the requirements will have to be removed from there.) | |||
==== Helicopter attack ==== | |||
The result was a new Supreme Tribunal of Justice Law with two purposes: establishing a procedure to suspend justices and increasing the number of justices from 20 to 30.<ref> El Universal. 18.01.2013</ref> The following year, the executive branch managed to promote the increase to 32 justices, after which the Tribunal started the reviewed the original sentence. On 14 March 2005, the Tribunal overruled the decision.<ref>Véase noticia de .</ref> The opposition considers that the override of the sentence was caused by the changes made to the high court by a legislation change by lawmakers of the ruling party, which had a majority at the time.<ref>Véase un análisis más detallado en {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104155537/http://www.analitica.com/va/politica/opinion/7788694.asp|date=January 4, 2006}}</ref> Government supporters consider that the first sentence was political and there were several reasons to start a trial of a coup d'état.<ref>Véase un análisis sobre la primera sentencia en .</ref> | |||
=== 2006 judicial year beginning === | |||
During the 2006 judicial year beginning, the justices of the Supreme Tribunal stood up from the seats of the Criminal Chamber to chant "{{lang|es|¡Uh, ah, Chávez no se va!}}" (English: "Uh, ah, Chávez won't go!"),<ref name="gmg-20130306">{{cite news|last1=Carroll|first1=Rory|title='Hugo Chávez lives!' they chanted as they gazed at the casket|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/06/hugo-chavez-lives-venezuela-leader|access-date=3 August 2024|work=The Guardian|date=6 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215195333/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/06/hugo-chavez-lives-venezuela-leader|archive-date=15 December 2013|location=London|language=en-gb}} See also: ].</ref> while president Chávez was present in the auditorium. The act was interpreted as a demonstration of political partiality by the justices and the institution.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Poliszuk|first1=Joseph|title=El chavismo enroca sus militantes en los tribunales penales|url=https://armando.info/Reportajes/Details/151|page=Armando.Info|first2=Gabriela|last2=Cardona}}</ref> | |||
=== Open letter of former Justice Eladio Aponte Aponte === | |||
On 20 August 2009, drug trafficker ] was captured in ] by the Colombian ] (DAS) and later moved to ]. Walid was requested by both the American and the Venezuelan anti-narcotics authorities.<ref name="notitarde0908202">{{cite web|url=http://www.notitarde.com/notitarde/plantillas/nota.aspx?idart=1107038&idcat=9841&tipo=2|title=Capturado Walid Makled por el DAS en Colombia|access-date=6 November 2010|date=20 August 2009|work=]|language=es}}</ref> During his arrest, Makled was found with a credential of the Venezuelan military prosecution, allegedly issued by the Supreme Tribunal justice ]. Venezuela's opposition's spokesperson, ], declared that the investigation would be obstructed in the country by the very public officials.<ref name="bbc1011162">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/noticias/2010/11/101115_venezuela_narcotrafico_walid_makled_extradicion_fp.shtml|title=Venezuela y EE.UU. piden la extradición del presunto narcotraficante Walid Makled|access-date=23 November 2010|author=Yolanda Valery|date=9 November 2010|work=]|language=es}}</ref> | |||
On 16 April 2012, Aponte wrote an ] from ], in which he claimed to have received orders and pressure from president ] to convict ], security chief of the ], as well as Caracas Metropolitan Police officers Henry Vivas and Lázaro Forero, applying the maximum sentence for their participation during the ]. The letter was published in September.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.talcualdigital.com/nota/visor.aspx?id=76250&tipo=AVA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918202913/http://www.talcualdigital.com/Nota/visor.aspx?id=76250&tipo=AVA|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 18, 2012|title=La confesión de Aponte|publisher=]|year=2012|work=La Nación}}</ref> | |||
<!-- This Quote is in Spanish with no translation or explanation {{quote|Señores comisarios Iván Simonovis, Henry Vivas, Lázaro Forero, Erasmo Bolívar, Luis Molina, Arube Pérez, Marco Hurtado, Héctor Rovain: | |||
El suscrito, doctor Ramón Eladio Aponte Aponte, exmagistrado de la Sala Penal del Tribunal Supremo de Justicia de Venezuela (jefe de todos los jueces penales del país), títular de la cédula de identidad número 3.581.104, digo: | |||
Es un deber inaplazable, confesar ante ustedes, y ante todos, que he cometido el pecado de haber transmitido a los jueces que los juzgaron, la orden de condenarles a 30 años de prisión a como diera lugar. Yo estaba cumpliendo instrucciones directas del Presidente Hugo Chávez Frías, quien así me lo ordenó. No pretendo ser liberado de responsabilidades por eso que hice, ya que nada lo justifica, solo quiero confesar para descansar un poco mi conciencia, ya que ahora estoy sintiendo en carne propia lo que se siente ser perseguido. Ordené a la jueza Anabella Rodríguez del Juzgado 13 de Primera Instancia en Funciones de Control en Caracas, que decretara la orden de captura que le solicitó la Fiscal Luisa Ortega Díaz, aun cuando dicha jueza no tenía competencia en el caso, que estaba radicado en Maracay. También mantuve comunicación constante con la jueza Marjorie Calderón de Maracay y con la fiscal Haifa el Aissami para que hicieran todo para retrasar el juicio y así causarles toda clase de penurias con traslados, y para que finalmente se produjera sentencia condenatoria a como diera lugar, sentencia que entregué en formato digital a dicha Jueza y que estaba elaborada por uno de mis asistentes. Posteriormente hice lo mismo con los jueces de la Corte de Apelaciones de Aragua, Fabiola Colmenares, Antonio Perillo y Francisco Coggiola, a quienes les entregué de la misma manera la sentencia sobre la apelación que formularon los procesados a través de sus defensores. | |||
Finalmente en ese caso ustedes elevaron recurso de Casación ante la Sala Penal donde yo lo asumí y de inmediato mandé {{Not a typo|a}} elaborar el proyecto de sentencia declarando sin lugar por recurso manifestante infundado, esto es sin siquiera haberlo leído ya que era demasiado extenso y la orden que expresamente me dio el presidente Chávez era "salir de eso de inmediato sin más tardanza", "condénelos de una vez". Así lo hice, y al tener el proyecto lo firmamos el 18 de mayo de 2010 y se publicó el fallo el 21 de mayo, sentencia 173 con la aprobación mía, de Deyanira Nieves, Miriam Morando y Héctor Coronado Flores, y a cada uno de ellos les hice saber que esa era la orden de Chávez, por lo que se apresuraron a firmar. Salvó el voto de Blanca Rosa Mármol. | |||
Ojalá y esta confesión les ayude a buscar una solución a su problema, y estoy dispuesto a ratificar todo ante tribunales en verdad independientes, con jueces imparciales y en un país donde haya democracia verdadera y libertad. San José, Costa Rica, dieciséis de abril del año 2012.|Dr. Ramón Eladio Aponte Aponte}} | |||
--> | |||
Aponte fled Venezuela to Costa Rica in April 2012 after being accused of assisting Makled who said he had been paying Aponte US$70,000 per month related to joint business ventures. Aponte then contacted the U.S. ] which provided him with a flight to the United States.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ellsworth |first1=Brian |title=Accused drug dealer says paid off fugitive Venezuela judge |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-judge-idUSBRE83O1ET20120425 |access-date=25 September 2019 |work=Reuters |date=26 April 2012}}</ref> | |||
=== 2015 justices appointment === | |||
{{As of|2017}}, for a part of Venezuelan society, the legitimacy of the Supreme Tribunal is in question,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Fiscal pide anular designación de magistrados y responsabiliza al Gobierno por seguridad de su familia|url=https://informe21.com/politica/fiscal-luisa-ortega-pide-anular-la-designacion-de-33-magistrados-del-tsj|access-date=30 July 2017|work=Informe21.com|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Federación Nacional de Abogados emite nota de protesta ante sentencias del TSJ |url=http://versionfinal.com.ve/politica-dinero/federacion-nacional-de-abogados-emite-nota-de-protesta-ante-sentencias-del-tsj-pronunciamiento/|access-date=30 July 2017}}</ref> especially the legitimacy of its origin, due to the appointment on 23 December 2015 of 13 main justices and 21 supplementary justices by a ] National Assembly with a ruling party majority,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Designados nuevos magistrados del TSJ|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/designados-nuevos-magistrados-del-tsj_38324|date=23 December 2015|access-date=30 June 2017|work=El Nacional}}</ref> as well as its actions since.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://runrun.es/nacional/292643/acceso-a-la-justicia-califica-al-tsj-como-politizado-y-parcializado.html|title=Acceso a la Justicia califica al TSJ como politizado y parcializado|access-date=27 August 2017|website=runrun.es|date=10 January 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> Article 264 of the Venezuelan Constitution and Title V of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice Organic Law<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.accesoalajusticia.org/wp/tag/ley-organica-del-tribunal-supremo-de-justicia-lotsj/ |title=LEY ORGANICA DEL TRIBUNAL SUPREMO DE JUSTICIA (LOTSJ) {{!}} Acceso a la Justicia |website=www.accesoalajusticia.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170615055631/http://www.accesoalajusticia.org/wp/tag/ley-organica-del-tribunal-supremo-de-justicia-lotsj/ |archive-date=2017-06-15}}</ref> contemplate an extense procedure of more than thirty days for the appointment of the justices, both main and alternate, in which it is required to form a Judicial Nominations Committee integrated by members of the National Assembly and civil society, which will do a preselection of candidates that will be submitted to the ]: the ], the ] and the Comptroller General, which will do a second preselection that in turn will be submitted to the National Assembly, which will have a lapse of three plenary sessions to appoint the justices with the vote of two thirds of the deputies or a fourth plenary session with the vote of a simple majority in case of not getting two thirds of the vote. The appointment of the justices was not done in accordance with the legal procedure, but with a hurried process carried out on 23 December 2015 by the lame duck National Assembly with a ruling party majority, when the legislature ended on 15 December, after being defeated on the ], where the opposition, represented by the ] opposition coalition, gained 112 of the 167 seats.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}} | |||
During the process, the "Citizen branch" issued a list of preselected candidates of previous processes, endorsed by the Ombudsman Tarek William Saab and the Comptroller Manuel Galindo.<ref>{{cite news|title=Solo cinco de los 13 magistrados principales aprobaron el baremo del Consejo Moral |trans-title=Only five of the 13 main magistrates approved the scale of the Moral Council |url=http://cronica.uno/solo-cinco-13-magistrados-principales-aprobaron-baremo-consejo-moral/|date=14 June 2017|access-date=27 August 2017 |work=Crónica Uno |language=es-ES}}</ref> The National Assembly approved the candidates in a single plenary session on the night of 23 December 2015.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://comunicacioncontinua.com/fcjp-ucv-designacion-precipitada-de-magistrados-del-tsj-en-contra-de-la-soberania-popular/ |title=FCJP-UCV: Designación precipitada de magistrados del TSJ en contra de la soberanía popular |trans-title=FCJP-UCV: Hasty appointment of magistrates of the Supreme Court against popular sovereignty |access-date=30 June 2017 |website=Comunicacion Continua |date=23 December 2015 |language=es}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2015/12/151222_venezuela_tsj_magistrados_dp |title=Por qué importan tanto los magistrados que designó el chavismo en Venezuela |trans-title=Why do the magistrates appointed by Chavismo matter so much in Venezuela |access-date=30 June 2017|last=Pardo |first=Daniel |website=BBC Mundo |date=23 December 2015 |language=es}}</ref> | |||
Both the opposition and several jurists have described the appointment as illegal for not being performed according to the constitution and the Organic Law, including the challenges period, their lack of responses and the omission of the definite selections of the candidates.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=http://prodavinci.com/blogs/5-violaciones-cometidas-durante-la-designacion-de-los-magistrados-del-tsj-por-jose-i-hernandez/|title=5 violaciones cometidas durante la designación de los magistrados del TSJ; por José I. Hernández « Prodavinci|access-date=30 June 2017|website=prodavinci.com}}</ref> According to a mid 2016 report issued by the Venezuelan NGO ''Acceso a la Justicia'' (Access to Justice), only one of seven justices of the Constitutional Chamber comply with the requirements for the position demanded by Venezuelan laws and their designation process was irregular.<ref>{{cite news|last=Vanessa|first=Moreno Losada|title=Sentencias de la Sala Constitucional son firmadas por magistrados que incumplen requisitos para el cargo|url=http://efectococuyo.com/politica/sentencias-de-la-sala-constitucional-son-firmadas-por-magistrados-que-incumplen-requisitos-para-el-cargo|date=5 April 2017|access-date=18 April 2018|work=Efecto Cocuyo}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Moreno Losada|first=Vanessa|title=Máximos intérpretes de la Constitución en el TSJ no llegan a 15 años en el ejercicio del derecho|url=http://efectococuyo.com/politica/maximos-interpretes-de-la-constitucion-en-el-tsj-no-llegan-a-15-anos-en-el-ejercicio-del-derecho|date=16 October 2016|access-date=18 April 2018|work=Efecto Cocuyo}}</ref> | |||
On 14 June 2016 the National Assembly nullified the appointment carried out in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|title=Venezuela: AN aprueba anular designación de magistrados|url=http://historico.prodavinci.com/2016/07/15/actualidad/venezuela-an-aprueba-anular-designacion-de-magistrados/|access-date=25 May 2018|agency=Prodavinci|publisher=Deutsche Welle|date=15 July 2016}}</ref> | |||
=== Challenge of electoral results === | |||
Weeks after the parliamentary elections and after the oathtaking of the elected representatives in the National Assembly, seven complaints were presented to the electoral results to the ], ] and ] states, six of which were rejected and one was admitted, suspending the results of the Amazonas state circuits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elpitazo.com/tag/impugnan-resultados-en-amazonas/|title=impugnan resultados en Amazonas Archivos {{!}} El Pitazo|access-date=30 June 2017|website=El Pitazo}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=TSJ admite recursos para impugnar resultados electorales en 6 circuitos {{!}} En la Agenda {{!}} 2001.com.ve|url=http://www.2001.com.ve/en-la-agenda/119751/tsj-admite-recursos-para-impugnar-resultados-electorales-en-6-circuitos.html|access-date=30 June 2017|work=2001.com.ve}}</ref> | |||
The Electoral Chamber of the Supreme Tribunal ordered the Assembly to disincorporate the deputies from Amazonas,<ref>{{cite news|title=Sala Electoral ordenó a la AN desincorporar a diputados impugnados|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/sala-electoral-ordeno-desincorporar-diputados-impugnados_23400|date=12 January 2016|access-date=30 June 2017|work=El Nacional}}</ref> but the Assembly, presided by ], disobeyed responding that the deputies already had parliamentary immunity;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://runrun.es/nacional/242886/asamblea-nacional-no-acatara-decision-del-tsj-contra-diputados-de-amazonas.html|title=Asamblea Nacional no acatará decisión del TSJ contra diputados de Amazonas|access-date=30 June 2017|website=runrun.es|date=8 January 2016|language=en-US}}</ref> The Attorney General, ], later assured that the National Assembly was not in contempt, since contempt could only be applied to individuals and not institutions.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ortega Díaz aseguró que la Asamblea Nacional no está en desacato|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/ortega-diaz-aseguro-que-asamblea-nacional-esta-desacato_190171|date=28 June 2017|access-date=10 May 2019|work=El Nacional}}</ref> | |||
After this, deputy ], from the ] coalition, introduced an appeal to the TSJ on 7 January 2016 to declare null all of the acts of the National Assembly. On 11 January, the Tribunal accepted the appeal and ruled in favor of it, declaring without effect all of the acts of the National Assembly "while it stayed in contempt" | |||
With each action of the National Assembly now in hands of the opposition, the ruling party introduced appeals to annul such actions, and through numerous sentences the Tribunal started limiting the Assembly actions established in the constitution, while at the same time it exercised actions constitutionally exclusive to the parliament with the justification of "legislative omission" due to the "contempt" of the Assembly.<ref>{{cite news|last=Web|first=El Nacional|title=TSJ aprobó que Maduro de memoria y cuenta 2016 el domingo a las 11:00am|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/gobierno/tsj-aprobo-que-maduro-memoria-cuenta-2016-domingo-las-1100_75390|date=13 January 2017|access-date=30 June 2017|work=El Nacional}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=WEB|first=EL NACIONAL|title=Tareck El Aissami presentó la memoria y cuenta ante el TSJ|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/gobierno/tareck-aissami-presento-memoria-cuenta-ante-tsj_83557|date=3 March 2017|access-date=30 June 2017|work=El Nacional}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Vidal|first=Brian|title=TSJ usurpa funciones de la AN con respecto a designación de rectores - El Impulso|url=http://www.elimpulso.com/noticias/nacionales/tsj-usurpa-funciones-de-la-an-con-respecto-a-designacion-de-rectores|access-date=30 June 2017|work=El Impulso}}</ref> | |||
Starting 2017, in an ordinary plenary session, the National Assembly, then presided over by ], officially disincorporated the three contested deputies, complying with the condition of the Supreme Tribunal to end the "contempt".<ref>{{cite news|last=WEB|first=EL NACIONAL|title=AN terminó con desacato y desincorporó oficialmente a diputados de Amazonas|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/asamblea-nacional/termino-con-desacato-desincorporo-oficialmente-diputados-amazonas_74448|date=9 January 2017|access-date=30 June 2017|work=El Nacional}}</ref> However, the Supreme Tribunal did not withdraw the contempt arguing that the previous directive, presided by Ramos Allup, was the one that should have done the procedure.<ref>{{cite news|title=TSJ insiste en que la AN se encuentra en desacato pese a desincorporación de diputados de Amazonas|url=http://www.noticierodigital.com/2017/01/tsj-insiste-en-que-la-an-se-encuentra-en-desacato-pese-a-desincorporacion-de-diputados-de-amazonas/|access-date=30 June 2017}}</ref> | |||
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=== Caso Rafael Ramírez === | |||
En ] del ] la Asamblea Nacional dio inicio formal a una investigación por corrupción contra ], un reconocido chavista en el ámbito político quien había sido presidente de ] desde 2004 hasta 2014. Desde que Ramírez estuvo a cargo de PDVSA se hicieron varias denuncias por corrupción, pero la Asamblea Nacional dominada por el chavismo hasta 2015 no procedió con las investigaciones.<ref>{{cite news|title=Asamblea Nacional inicia investigación contra Rafael Ramírez {{!}} El Pitazo|url=https://elpitazo.com/ultimas-noticias/asamblea-nacional-inicia-investigacion-contra-rafael-ramirez/|date=17 February 2016|access-date=30 December 2017|work=El Pitazo|language=es-ES}}</ref> En 2016 la Asamblea Nacional, ahora con mayoría opositora, inició las investigaciones contra Ramírez por presuntos hechos de corrupción que rondaron aproximadamente los US$7.000 millones.<ref>{{cite news|title=AN decidió investigar a Rafael Ramírez por presunta corrupción en Pdvsa|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/decidio-investigar-rafael-ramirez-por-presunta-corrupcion-pdvsa_9239|date=17 February 2016|access-date=30 December 2017|work=El Universal|language=es}}</ref> | |||
El ] de ese año, Ramírez interpuso un recurso de nulidad ante el TSJ donde solicitaba se anulara la investigación que la AN llevaba en su contra,sustentando la petición bajo los siguientes argumentos:<ref>{{cite news|last=Universal|first=JUAN FRANCISCO ALONSO,El|title=Rafael Ramírez pidió al TSJ anular la investigación que la AN le abrió|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/rafael-ramirez-pidio-tsj-anular-investigacion-que-abrio_623321|date=19 October 2016|access-date=30 December 2017|work=El Universal|language=es}}</ref> | |||
{{Cita|1.Que durante el período investigado por la Asamblea “no hubo Daño al Patrimonio Público de la Nación… por el contrario, se produjo un Incremento Sustancial del mismo, por lo que, mal puede tipificarse como contraria a la ley, o que incurra en alguna violación de un supuesto penal ni administrativo, alguna conducta del mismo durante su gestión…”. | |||
2. Que la “gestión de PDVSA, se encuentra monitoreada permanentemente por todos los órganos de control del Estado, por lo cual operan en tal sentido, la Contraloría General de la República, el Ministerio del Poder Popular de Petróleo, el SENIAT, entre otros, y en particular, sus estados financieros, informes de gestión y otros reportes de información financiera y operativa, son revisados y auditados trimestral, semestral y anualmente por parte de firmas de contadores públicos independientes, de reconocido prestigio nacional e internacional…”. | |||
3. Que el control político sobre gestión de la empresa durante el período investigado fue ejercido en su oportunidad mediante la aprobación de las Memorias y Cuentas que fueron presentadas ante la Asamblea Nacional en su momento y, por ende, “…deben ser desestimadas pues no corresponde a la Asamblea Nacional ni a sus Comisiones, adelantar investigación alguna que exceda el ejercido del control parlamentario que a ella compete. Cualquier juicio de otra naturaleza distinto al pronunciamiento político, es ajeno a la competencia del Poder Legislativo…”, además que no está dentro de las funciones del órgano legislativo el ejercicio de competencias asignadas a la autoridad administrativa o judicial.|}} | |||
El recurso fue analizado por ], quien para entonces era presidenta del órgano judicial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.com.ve/politicayeconomia/Rafael-Ramirez-solicito-al-TSJ-anular-la-investigacion-de-la-AN-en-su-contra-20161021-0004.html|title=Rafael Ramírez solicitó al TSJ anular la investigación de la AN en su contra|access-date=30 December 2017|website=Panorama|language=es}}</ref> El ] mediante , el TSJ declaró con lugar el recurso alegando que PDVSA siempre estuvo bajo monitoreo constante de organismos públicos y privados durante la gestión de Ramírez.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/site/2016/11/23/otro-caso-de-justicia-al-reves-tsj-decide-que-investigar-la-corrupcion-no-le-conviene-al-pais/|title=Otro caso de justicia al revés: TSJ decide que investigar la corrupción no le conviene al país|access-date=30 December 2017|website=www.lapatilla.com|language=es-ES}}</ref> | |||
En ] la cuestionada ] de Nicolás Maduro destituyó a Luisa Ortega Díaz (quien presidía el Ministerio Público) por oponerse a las acciones del gobierno y a las decisiones del TSJ, y en su lugar nombró a Tareck William Saab como fiscal general.<ref>{{cite news|last=WEB|first=EL NACIONAL|title=ANC designó a Tarek William Saab como nuevo "fiscal"|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/anc-designo-tarek-william-saab-como-nuevo-fiscal_197270|date=5 August 2017|access-date=30 December 2017|work=El Nacional|language=es}}</ref> Desde entonces el MP emprendió investigaciones por corrupción en PDVSA, lo que resultó en la detención de aproximadamente 81 gerentes de la estatal petrolera.<ref>{{cite news|title=81 corruptos presos de PDVSA ¿Y Ramírez pa' cuándo? {{!}} Los Benjamins|url=https://losbenjamins.com/2017/12/50-gerentes-pdvsa-presos-corrupcion/|date=3 December 2017|access-date=30 December 2017|work=Los Benjamins|language=es-ES}}</ref> Paralelamente Diego Salazar, primo y testaferro de Rafael Ramírez también resultó detenido por estar vinculado al conocido caso de blanqueo de capitales de la ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eltiempo.com.ve/2017/12/01/detenido-diego-salazar-carreno-vinculado-a-la-trama-de-corrupcion-en-andorra/|title=El Tiempo {{!}} Venezuela {{!}} Detenido Diego Salazar Carreño vinculado a la trama de corrupción en Andorra {{!}} El Periódico del Pueblo Oriental|access-date=30 December 2017|last=C.A|first=GLOBAL HOST|website=eltiempo.com.ve|language=es-ES}}</ref> Luego de la detención de Salazar, el MP encontró documentos que incriminaban directamente a Rafael Ramírez con hechos de corrupción en PDVSA,<ref>{{cite news|last=GÓMEZ|first=ENDER|title=MP inició investigación por presunta corrupción contra Rafael Ramírez|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/inicio-investigacion-contra-rafael-ramirez-por-presunta-corrupcion_680817|date=12 December 2017|access-date=30 December 2017|work=El Universal|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=WEB|first=EL NACIONAL|title=Saab implica a Ramírez por corrupción de 4,8 millardos de dólares en Pdvsa|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/saab-implica-rafael-ramirez-corrupcion-millardos-dolares_217146|date=29 December 2017|access-date=30 December 2017|work=El Nacional|language=es}}</ref> dejando en evidencia que el TSJ encubrió los delitos de Ramírez en 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last=NACIONAL|first=EL|title=Asamblea: Maduro desechó denuncias de corrupción en Pdvsa|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/asamblea-maduro-desecho-denuncias-corrupcion-pdvsa_213820|date=2 December 2017|access-date=30 December 2017|work=El Nacional|language=es}}</ref> | |||
--> | |||
=== 2017 constitutional crisis === | |||
{{Main|2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis}} | |||
==== Rulings 155 and 156 ==== | |||
On 27 March 2017, in sentence 155, the Tribunal granted faculties of the National Assembly to Nicolás Maduro to legislate and "take the civilian, military, economic, criminal, administrative, political, juridic and social measures considered necessary to prevent a state of conmotion...".{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} On 29 March, the Tribunal published a second sentence, 156, attributed to itself the constitutional functions of the Assembly and decided on delegating them on the organisms that is considered pertinent, on the pretext of "legislative omission" of the Assembly.<ref>{{cite news|last=20Minutos|title=El Supremo venezolano quita los poderes a la Asamblea Nacional y asume la función legislativa - 20minutos.es|url=http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/3000080/0/supremo-venezolano-quita-los-poderes-a-la-asamblea-nacional/|access-date=30 June 2017|work=20minutos.es - Últimas Noticias}}</ref> The sentence was met with both domestic and international alarm from different personalities and institutions,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cuentasclarasdigital.org/2017/03/golpe-de-estado-en-venezuela-reacciones-hasta-ahora/|title=Golpe de Estado en Venezuela: Reacciones hasta ahora|access-date=30 June 2017|website=www.cuentasclarasdigital.org|date=31 March 2017|language=es-VE}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Así rechaza el mundo el golpe de Estado en Venezuela|url=http://elvenezolanonews.com/asi-rechazo-mundo-golpe-estado-venezuela/|date=31 March 2017|access-date=30 June 2017|work=El venezolano|archive-date=30 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830090621/http://elvenezolanonews.com/asi-rechazo-mundo-golpe-estado-venezuela/|url-status=dead}}</ref> some of which defined sentence 156 as a ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.com.ve/politicayeconomia/Jefe-de-la-OEA-denuncia-autogolpe-de-Estado-en-Venezuela-20170330-0072.html|title=Jefe de la OEA denuncia "autogolpe de Estado" en Venezuela|access-date=30 June 2017|website=Panorama}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://el-informe.com/02/04/2017/opinion/causas-y-consecuencias-del-auto-golpe-de-estado/|title=Causas y consecuencias del "Auto-golpe" de estado {{!}} El Informe|access-date=30 June 2017|archive-date=29 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829032756/http://el-informe.com/02/04/2017/opinion/causas-y-consecuencias-del-auto-golpe-de-estado/|url-status=dead}}</ref> This included Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz, who during a press conferenced in the seat of the Public Ministry defined both sentences as a "rupture of the constitutional order".{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} | |||
Maduro qualified the Attorney's declarations as a "impasse" between the Public Ministry and the Tribunal, as the reason why the same day he convened a Nation Defense Council to discuss the review of sentences 155 and 156. The following day, the Tribunal published clarifications on the sentences where the measures that transferred the parliament competences to the Tribunal and Maduro were partially suppressed.<ref>{{cite news|last=WEB|first=EL NACIONAL|title=TSJ eliminó decisiones que atentan contra la Asamblea Nacional|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/tsj-suprimio-decisiones-que-atentan-contra-asamblea-nacional_88457|date=1 April 2017|access-date=30 June 2017|work=El Nacional}}</ref> Jurists defined the clarifications as illegal, since the Constitutional Chamber cannot make a review of the sentences for being '']'' (claim preclusion).<ref>{{cite news|title=Aclaratoria ilegal del TSJ no detiene el "golpe de estado" ni reivindica a la AN|url=http://elvenezolanonews.com/aclaratoria-ilegal-del-tsj-no-detiene-el-golpe-de-estado-ni-reivindica-a-la-an/|date=2 April 2017|access-date=30 June 2017|work=El venezolano|archive-date=30 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830075308/http://elvenezolanonews.com/aclaratoria-ilegal-del-tsj-no-detiene-el-golpe-de-estado-ni-reivindica-a-la-an/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title="Aclaratorias" del TSJ no enmiendan ruptura del orden constitucional, afirma Juan Manuel Raffalli {{!}}|url=https://venezuelaalpunto.live/aclaratorias-del-tsj-no-enmiendan-ruptura-del-orden-constitucional-afirma-juan-manuel-raffalli/|date=2 April 2017|access-date=30 June 2017|work=Venezuela ALPUNTO|language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
On 1 May 2017, Maduro convenes a ] based on a disputed interpretation of Articles 347, 348 and 349 of the constitution. Such call was met with preoccupation again, and many jurists argued that Maduro violated the constitution by assuming functions of the citizens to summon a Constituent Assembly. <ref>{{cite news|last=WEB|first=EL NACIONAL|title=Magistrado del TSJ se pronunció en contra de la Constituyente|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/magistrado-del-tsj-pronuncio-contra-constituyente_183776|date=23 May 2017|access-date=30 June 2017|work=El Nacional}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/site/2017/05/23/magistrada-del-tsj-marisela-godoy-se-pronuncia-en-contra-de-la-constituyente-maduro/|title=Magistrada del TSJ, Marisela Godoy, se pronuncia en contra de la "constituyente" Maduro|access-date=30 June 2017|website=www.lapatilla.com|date=24 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.com.ve/politicayeconomia/Diputado-del-Psuv-German-Ferrer-rechazo-convocatoria-a-la-Constituyente-20170602-0058.html|title=Diputado del Psuv Germán Ferrer rechazó convocatoria a la Constituyente|access-date=30 June 2017|website=Panorama}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/site/2017/05/02/colegios-de-abogados-anuncian-acciones-judiciales-contra-la-constituyente-convocada-por-maduro/|title=Colegios de Abogados anuncian acciones judiciales contra la Constituyente convocada por Maduro|access-date=30 June 2017|website=www.lapatilla.com|date=3 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=SILVA|first=JOSÉ|title=Eustoquio Contreras expresó su desacuerdo con una nueva Constituyente|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/eustoquio-contreras-expreso-desacuerdo-con-una-nueva-constituyente_650779|date=2 May 2017|access-date=2 July 2017|work=El Universal|archive-date=27 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527063039/http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/eustoquio-contreras-expreso-desacuerdo-con-una-nueva-constituyente_650779|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
On 17 May, the Tribunal decided on five nullity complaints from 2010 against the Reform of the Organic Law of Municipal Public Power, which replaced the Parochial Meetings with Communal Parochial Meetings. The Tribunal decided that ] could elect the members of the Parochial Meetings, implementing an ]. The sentence has been qualified as a grave violation of the direct, universal and secret vote of Article 63 of the Constitution.<ref>{{cite news|last=Vidal|first=Brian|title=Sala Constitucional adelanta base comicial para Constituyente sectorial - El Impulso|url=http://www.elimpulso.com/noticias/nacionales/sala-constitucional-adelanta-base-comicial-constituyente-sectorial|access-date=2 July 2017|work=El Impulso}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://runrun.es/opinion/310659/sobre-la-sentencia-355-y-la-eleccion-comunal-por-juan-manuel-raffalli.html|title=Sobre la sentencia 355 y la elección comunal, por Juan Manuel Raffalli - RunRun.es|access-date=2 July 2017|website=runrun.es|date=23 May 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.diariodelosandes.com/index.php?r=site/noticiasecundaria&id=46289|title=Sentencia 355 del TSJ busca radicalizar la dictadura|access-date=2 July 2017|website=www.diariodelosandes.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caraotadigital.net/investigacion/sentencia-tsj-voto-elecciones-venezuela/|title=Sentencia 355 del TSJ podría acabar con el voto universal en Venezuela|access-date=2 July 2017|website=www.caraotadigital.net|language=es-VE|archive-date=6 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606035044/http://www.caraotadigital.net/investigacion/sentencia-tsj-voto-elecciones-venezuela/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
On 7 June 2017, the Constitutional Chamber issued sentence 378, where the Tribunal decided that the president is empowered to summon a Constituent Assembly without a previous consultative referendum.<ref>{{cite news|title=TSJ sentencia que Maduro puede convocar Constituyente sin referendo|url=https://www.larazon.net/2017/05/tsj-constituyente-sin-referendo/|date=31 May 2017|access-date=2 July 2017|work=La Razón}}</ref> Once again the sentence was criticized for being considered violatory of the constitutional principles, specially sovereignty, since Article 5 of the constitution states that it "''resides intransferibly in the people''".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.derechos.org.ve/opinion/sentencia-n-378-del-tsj-sobre-anc-viola-el-principio-de-progresividad-de-los-derechos|title=Sentencia N° 378 del TSJ sobre ANC viola el principio de progresividad de los derechos {{!}} PROVEA|access-date=2 July 2017|website=www.derechos.org.ve}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Sentencia 378 del TSJ liquida el poder constituyente originario, afirman expertos|url=http://efectococuyo.com/politica/sentencia-378-del-tsj-liquida-el-poder-constituyente-originario-afirman-expertos|date=2 June 2017|access-date=2 July 2017|work=Efecto Cocuyo}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caraotadigital.net/investigacion/sentencia-tsj-constituyente-venezuela-maduro/|title=Sentencia 378 del TSJ "no da garantías" a la Constituyente|access-date=2 July 2017|website=www.caraotadigital.net|language=es-VE|archive-date=6 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170606113812/http://www.caraotadigital.net/investigacion/sentencia-tsj-constituyente-venezuela-maduro/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Vidal|first=Brian|title=Así reaccionaron las redes sociales por nueva sentencia del TSJ #31Mayo - El Impulso|url=http://www.elimpulso.com/noticias/nacionales/asi-reaccionaron-las-redes-sociales-por-nueva-sentencia-del-tsj-31mayo|access-date=2 July 2017|work=El Impulso}}</ref> | |||
==== Helicopter attack==== | |||
{{Main|2017 Caracas helicopter attack}} | {{Main|2017 Caracas helicopter attack}} | ||
Venezuela's protesters set fire to the executive directorate of the judiciary of the Supreme Court in the ] on 12 June 2017. Violence broke out in protests at the Supreme Court over a bid to change the Constitution.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/13/venezuela-protesters-set-fire-supreme-court-building-crisis/|title=Venezuela protesters set fire to Supreme Court building as crisis deepens|date=13 June 2017|publisher=The Telegraph}}</ref> On 27 June 2017, a helicopter attacked the TSJ building with gunfire and grenades.<ref>{{Cite |
Venezuela's protesters set fire to the executive directorate of the judiciary of the Supreme Court in the ] on 12 June 2017. Violence broke out in protests at the Supreme Court over a bid to change the Constitution.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/13/venezuela-protesters-set-fire-supreme-court-building-crisis/|title=Venezuela protesters set fire to Supreme Court building as crisis deepens|date=13 June 2017|publisher=The Telegraph}}</ref> On 27 June 2017, a helicopter attacked the TSJ building with gunfire and grenades.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-40426642|title=Venezuela crisis: Helicopter 'launches attack' on Supreme Court|work=BBC News|date=28 June 2017|access-date=2017-06-28}}</ref> | ||
==== Attorney General response ==== | |||
==Supreme Tribunal of Justice in exile== | |||
On 8 June, the Attorney General introduced an electoral contentious appeal in the Electoral Chamber Constituent Assembly, and invoking Article 333 of the constitution she invited the Venezuelans to adhere to the appeal with the purpose of stopping the Constituent Assembly and preserve the validity of the current constitution.<ref>{{cite news|last=WEB|first=EL NACIONAL|title=Ortega Díaz invitó a firmar documento que pide nulidad de la Constituyente|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/ortega-diaz-invito-firmar-documento-que-pide-nulidad-constituyente_186690|date=8 June 2017|access-date=2 July 2017|work=El Nacional}}</ref> The following day the surroundings of the Tribunals were blocked by security forces, impeding citizens from adhering to the appeal.<ref>{{cite news|title=¿Casualidad? Luisa Ortega Díaz habla y cierran accesos al TSJ en Caracas|url=http://elvenezolanonews.com/casualidad-luisa-ortega-diaz-habla-y-cierran-accesos-al-tsj-en-caracas/|date=9 June 2017|access-date=2 July 2017|work=El venezolano|archive-date=29 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829202158/http://elvenezolanonews.com/casualidad-luisa-ortega-diaz-habla-y-cierran-accesos-al-tsj-en-caracas/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cerrados accesos al TSJ en la avenida Baralt por barreras de la GNB|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/caracas/cerrados-accesos-tsj-avenida-baralt-por-barreras-gnb_656285|date=9 June 2017|access-date=2 July 2017|work=El Universal|archive-date=5 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705012847/http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/caracas/cerrados-accesos-tsj-avenida-baralt-por-barreras-gnb_656285|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 12 June, the Tribunal declared inadmissible the appeal due to "inept pretensions accumulation".<ref>{{cite news|title=TSJ declara inadmisible recurso de Fiscal General contra la Constituyente|url=http://efectococuyo.com/politica/tsj-declara-inadmisible-recurso-de-fiscal-general-contra-la-constituyente|date=12 June 2017|access-date=2 July 2017|work=Efecto Cocuyo}}</ref> | |||
{{Main|Supreme Tribunal of Justice in exile}} | |||
The discontent with the Bolivarian government saw the opposition being elected to hold the majority in the ] for the first time since 1999 following the ].<ref name="NYTmuzzle">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/world/americas/venezuelas-supreme-court-takes-power-from-legislature.html|title=Venezuela Muzzles Legislature, Moving Closer to One-Man Rule|last1=Casey|first1=Nicholas|date=30 March 2017|work=]|accessdate=31 March 2017 |last2=Torres |first2=Patricia|page=A1}}</ref> As a result of that election, the ] National Assembly consisting of Bolivarian officials filled the ] with their allies.<ref name="NYTmuzzle" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-23/venezuela-s-lame-duck-congress-names-new-supreme-court-justices|title=Venezuela's Lame-Duck Congress Names New Supreme Court Justices|date=23 December 2015|work=Bloomberg|accessdate=31 March 2017|language=en}}</ref> | |||
In response to the rejection of the Tribunal, the Luisa Ortega challenged the appointment of the 13 main justices and 21 alternates for considering a lack of suitability and bias in their actions, as well as aggravating the ]. She also requested the challenged justices to refraining to learn about the cause of the challenge, in accordance of Articles 55, 56 and 57 of the Supreme Tribunal Organic Law.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.com.ve/politicayeconomia/AFP-Fiscal-General-de-la-Republica-impugna-nombramiento-de-magistrados-del-TSJ-20170612-0051.html|title=Fiscal General de la República impugna nombramiento de magistrados del TSJ|access-date=2 July 2017|website=Panorama}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Web|first=El Nacional|title=Ortega Díaz impugnó nombramiento de magistrados del TSJ|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/ortega-diaz-impugno-nombramiento-magistrados-del-tsj_187300|date=12 June 2017|access-date=2 July 2017|work=El Nacional}}</ref> The Attorney General explained that during the appointment procedure of the justices, the Moral Council did not convene an extraordinary sessions to evaluate the candidacy conditions in compliance of Article 74 of the Supreme Tribunal Law, but rather the candidates expedients were submitted and later she was handed the act to be signed, which she refused to do for not convening the session.<ref name="62e4db1f">{{cite news|last=Globovision|title=Fiscal General solicitó antejuicio de mérito contra 6 Magistrados de la Sala Constitucional del TSJ|url=http://globovision.com/article/fiscal-general-solicito-antejuicio-de-merito-contra-6-magistrados-de-la-sala-constitucional-del-tsj|access-date=2 July 2017|work=Globovisión}}</ref> On the following day, Ombudsman ] published a document with the alleged signature of Luisa Ortega, arguing that she did sign the act.<ref>{{cite news|title=Defensor del Pueblo: Fiscal no se opuso a designación de magistrados|url=http://elluchador.info/web/2017/06/13/defensor-del-pueblo-fiscal-no-se-opuso-a-designacion-de-magistrados/|date=13 June 2017|access-date=30 June 2017|work=.::Diario El Luchador::.}}</ref> Afterwards, María José Marcano, former secretary of the Moral Council, accused William Saab of lying and presenting a forged document, since neither Luisa Ortega or she had signed the act, finding it being done illegally with political pressures.<ref>{{cite news|last=MORA|first=FANNY|title=Exsecretaria del Consejo Moral: Elección de magistrados estuvo viciada|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/exsecretaria-del-consejo-moral-eleccion-magistrados-estuvo-viciada_657398|date=16 June 2017|access-date=2 July 2017|work=El Universal|archive-date=23 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623095831/http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/exsecretaria-del-consejo-moral-eleccion-magistrados-estuvo-viciada_657398|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
Following months of unrest surrounding the ], on 29 March 2017 the ] ruled that the National Assembly was "in a situation of contempt", because of the aforementioned rulings against the election of some of its members. It stripped the Assembly of ], and took those powers for itself; which meant that the Court would have been able to create laws. The court did not indicate if or when it might hand power back.<ref name="alarm">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-39449494 |title=Venezuela 'coup': Alarm grows as court takes power|date=31 March 2017|publisher=BBC|accessdate=31 March 2017}}</ref> As a result of the ruling, the ] began surrounding the constitutional crisis, with the Bolivarian Supreme Tribunal of Justice reversing its ruling on 1 April 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-39468045|title=Venezuela: Supreme court backtracks on powers bid|date=1 April 2017|publisher=BBC|accessdate=1 April 2017}}</ref> | |||
On 14 June, the Tribunal once again dismissed the appeal, warning that: | |||
After being stripped of power during the constitutional crisis and ], opposition-led ] created a Judicial Nominations Committee on 13 June 2017 to elect new members of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/asamblea-nacional/juramento-comite-postulaciones-para-eleccion-magistrados_187483|title=Asamblea Nacional continuará proceso para elección de nuevos magistrados|last= |first= |date=2017-06-13|work=]|access-date=2018-07-10|language=es}}</ref> On 12 July 2017, ] ], head of the Moral Council of Venezuela, said that the call for new magistrates would not be officially recognized by the Bolivarian government and that the magistrates already appointed by the lame duck Bolivarian National Assembly would instead continue to be recognized.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/2017/07/12/consejo-moral-republicano-rechazo-listado-de-preseleccionados-al-cargo-de-magistrados-realizado-por-la-an/ |title=Consejo Moral Republicano rechazó listado de preseleccionados al cargo de Magistrados realizado por la AN - LaPatilla.com |last=|first= |date=2017-07-12|work=]|access-date=2018-07-10|language=es-ES}}</ref> Despite the rejection of recognition by the Bolivarian government, the opposition-led National Assembly then voted 33 magistrates into office on 21 July 2017, creating a '']'' Supreme Tribunal of Justice separate from the Bolivarian government.<ref name="CLAR17">{{cite news |title=Venezuela: un "Tribunal Supremo de Justicia" en el exilio se instala en la OEA |url=https://www.clarin.com/mundo/venezuela-tribunal-supremo-justicia-exilio-instala-oea_0_rJDm2r6h-.html |accessdate=10 July 2018 |work=] |date=12 October 2017 |language=es}}</ref> | |||
{{Verse translation|cualquier comisión, artificio o acción que tenga el objeto de anular la designación de magistrados subvierte el procedimiento constitucional para remoción de magistrados del TSJ, y por lo tanto, es írrito y nulo de toda nulidad y carente de validez, existencia y eficacia jurídica; y quienes participen en ellos están sujetos a la responsabilidad penal, civil y administrativa que corresponda|any commission, artifice or action that has the purpose of nullifying the appointment of magistrates subverts the constitutional procedure for the removal of magistrates from the TSJ, and therefore, is void and void of all nullity and lacking validity, existence and legal effectiveness; and those who participate in them are subject to the corresponding criminal, civil and administrative responsibility.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}}} | |||
El 13 de junio la Fiscal solicitó al TSJ antejuicio de mérito contra 6 magistrados principales y 2 suplentes por conspiración para atentar contra la forma republicana de la nación, delito tipificado en el artículo 132 del Código Penal, al mismo tiempo que solicitó a los magistrados acusados inhibirse de conocer de la causa de conformidad con los artículos 55, 56 y 57 de la LOTSJ.<ref name="62e4db1f" /> | |||
===2017 appointment and Supreme Tribunal of Justice in exile=== | |||
{{Main|Supreme Tribunal of Justice of Venezuela in exile}} | |||
The discontent with the Bolivarian government saw the opposition being elected to hold the majority in the ] for the first time since 1999 following the ].<ref name="NYTmuzzle">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/world/americas/venezuelas-supreme-court-takes-power-from-legislature.html|title=Venezuela Muzzles Legislature, Moving Closer to One-Man Rule|last1=Casey|first1=Nicholas|date=30 March 2017|work=]|access-date=31 March 2017 |last2=Torres |first2=Patricia|page=A1}}</ref> As a result of that election, the lame duck National Assembly consisting of Bolivarian officials filled the ] with their allies.<ref name="NYTmuzzle" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-23/venezuela-s-lame-duck-congress-names-new-supreme-court-justices|title=Venezuela's Lame-Duck Congress Names New Supreme Court Justices|date=23 December 2015|work=Bloomberg|access-date=31 March 2017|language=en}}</ref> | |||
Following months of unrest surrounding the ], on 29 March 2017 the ] ruled that the National Assembly was "in a situation of contempt", because of the aforementioned rulings against the election of some of its members. It stripped the Assembly of ], and took those powers for itself; which meant that the Court would have been able to create laws. The court did not indicate if or when it might hand power back.<ref name="alarm">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-39449494 |title=Venezuela 'coup': Alarm grows as court takes power|date=31 March 2017|publisher=BBC|access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref> As a result of the ruling, the ] began surrounding the constitutional crisis, with the Bolivarian Supreme Tribunal of Justice reversing its ruling on 1 April 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-39468045|title=Venezuela: Supreme court backtracks on powers bid|date=1 April 2017|publisher=BBC|access-date=1 April 2017}}</ref> | |||
After being stripped of power during the constitutional crisis and ], opposition-led ] created a Judicial Nominations Committee on 13 June 2017 to elect new members of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/asamblea-nacional/juramento-comite-postulaciones-para-eleccion-magistrados_187483|title=Asamblea Nacional continuará proceso para elección de nuevos magistrados|date=2017-06-13|work=]|access-date=2018-07-10|language=es}}</ref> On 12 July 2017, ] ], head of the Moral Council of Venezuela, said that the call for new magistrates would not be officially recognized by the Bolivarian government and that the magistrates already appointed by the lame duck Bolivarian National Assembly would instead continue to be recognized.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/2017/07/12/consejo-moral-republicano-rechazo-listado-de-preseleccionados-al-cargo-de-magistrados-realizado-por-la-an/ |title=Consejo Moral Republicano rechazó listado de preseleccionados al cargo de Magistrados realizado por la AN - LaPatilla.com |date=2017-07-12|work=]|access-date=2018-07-10|language=es-ES}}</ref> Despite the rejection of recognition by the Bolivarian government, the opposition-led National Assembly then voted 33 magistrates into office on 21 July 2017, separate from the Bolivarian government, forming the ].<ref name="CLAR17">{{cite news |title=Venezuela: un "Tribunal Supremo de Justicia" en el exilio se instala en la OEA |url=https://www.clarin.com/mundo/venezuela-tribunal-supremo-justicia-exilio-instala-oea_0_rJDm2r6h-.html |access-date=10 July 2018 |work=] |date=12 October 2017 |language=es}}</ref> | |||
=== 2018 opposition parties prohibition in presidential election === | |||
{{Main|2018 Venezuelan presidential election}} | |||
On 23 January 2018, the Constituent National Assembly ordered the presidential elections should be scheduled in 2018 and before 30 April. Several Venezuelan NGOs, such as ], ], ], the Venezuelan Electoral Observatory and the Citizen Electoral Network, expressed their concern over the irregularities of the electoral schedule, including the lack of the ]'s competencies to summon the elections, impeding participation of opposition political parties, and the lack of time for standard electoral functions.<ref>{{bullet}} {{Cite news|url=http://efectococuyo.com/politica/foro-penal-no-avala-convocatoria-a-elecciones-presidenciales|title=Foro Penal no avala convocatoria a elecciones presidenciales|last=Rodríguez Rosas|first=Ronny|date=23 February 2018|journal=Efecto Cocuyo|access-date=24 February 2018}} | |||
* {{Cite news|url=http://efectococuyo.com/politica/observadores-electorales-detectan-11-irregularidades-en-el-proceso-de-municipales|title=Observadores electorales detectan 11 irregularidades en el proceso de municipales|last=León|first=Ibis|date=9 December 2017|journal=Efecto Cocuyo|access-date=10 December 2017}} | |||
* {{Cite news|url=http://efectococuyo.com/politica/cne-obstaculiza-inscripcion-de-venezolanos-en-registro-electoral-afirman-ong|title=CNE obstaculiza inscripción de venezolanos en Registro Electoral, afirman ONG|last=Rodríguez Rosas|first=Ronny|date=15 February 2018|journal=Efecto Cocuyo}} | |||
* {{cite news|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/adelanto-sufragios-acorta-plazos-jornadas-del_220251|title=Adelanto de sufragios acorta plazos de jornadas del RE|last1=León|first1=Rafael|date=25 January 2018|access-date=9 February 2018|agency=El Nacional}}</ref> Because of this, the ],<ref name=":11">{{cite news|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/site/2018/02/08/parlamento-europeo-rechaza-las-elecciones-presidenciales-por-considerarlas-fraudulentas/|title=Parlamento Europeo rechaza las elecciones presidenciales por considerarlas "fraudulentas"|date=8 February 2018|work=]|access-date=10 February 2018|language=es-ES}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{cite web|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/site/2018/05/03/eurocamara-aprueba-resolucion-del-proceso-ilegitimo-del-20may-en-venezuela/|title=Eurocámara pide la suspensión inmediata del proceso ilegítimo del #20May en Venezuela|date=3 May 2018|website=]|language=es-ES|access-date=4 May 2018}}</ref> the ] and countries including ] and the ] rejected the electoral process.<ref name=":22">{{bullet}} | |||
* {{cite web|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/estos-paises-votaron-favor-resolucion-oea-sobre-venezuela_224297|title=Estos países votaron a favor de la resolución de la OEA sobre Venezuela|last=Web|first=El Nacional|date=23 February 2018|access-date=21 May 2018}} | |||
* {{cite web|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/mundo/oea-insta-maduro-cancelar-las-elecciones-presidenciales-abril_224292|title=La OEA insta a Maduro a cancelar las elecciones presidenciales de abril|last=EFE|date=23 February 2018|access-date=21 May 2018}} | |||
* {{cite news|url=http://www.elnuevoherald.com/noticias/mundo/america-latina/venezuela-es/article198960229.html|title=Solo el 29% de los venezolanos planea votar en las elecciones presidenciales|last1=Wyss|first1=Jim|date=7 February 2018|access-date=14 February 2018|agency=El Nuevo Herald}}</ref><ref name=":16">{{cite web|url=https://www.lapatilla.com/site/2018/05/21/seis-paises-reunidos-por-g-20-desconocen-el-proceso-ilegitimo-de-venezuela/|title=Seis países reunidos por G-20 desconocen el proceso ilegítimo de Venezuela|website=]|date=21 May 2018|language=es-ES|access-date=21 May 2018}}</ref> | |||
Two days later, on 25 January, the high court ordered the ] to exclude from the elections the ], the most voted coalition in Venezuela's democratic history, arguing that in the coalition there were political parties that did not meet validation requirements.<ref>{{cite news|last=ROMERO|first=VALENTÍN|title=TSJ ordena al CNE excluir a la MUD del proceso de validación|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/tsj-ordena-cne-excluir-mud-del-proceso-validacion_685684|date=26 January 2018|access-date=28 January 2018|work=El Universal|language=es|archive-date=27 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127230050/http://www.eluniversal.com/noticias/politica/tsj-ordena-cne-excluir-mud-del-proceso-validacion_685684|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
=== 2018 Christmas party === | |||
In December 2018, videos and pictures were leaked showing a glamorous Christmas party that counted with an expensive feast, including French wine, taking place in the Supreme Tribunal seat. The images received considerable backlash from social networks, criticizing the costs of the party during the grave economic crisis in the country and the hypocrisy of the socialist regime.<ref>{{cite news|title=La ostentosa fiesta navideña del TSJ en medio de la crisis más grande del país|url=https://www.ntn24.com/america-latina/venezuela/la-ostentosa-fiesta-navidena-del-tsj-en-medio-de-la-crisis-mas-grande-del|date=15 December 2018|access-date=11 May 2019|work=NTN24}}</ref> | |||
=== Christian Zerpa defection === | |||
On 8 January 2019, Electoral Chamber justice Christian Zerpa defected and escaped to the United States, dissenting with the ] as president for a second period.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/video/venezuela-juez-huido-estados-unidos-conclusiones-kay-guerrero/|title=Christian Zerpa, juez afín a Maduro, huye a Estados Unidos|access-date=20 January 2019|date=9 January 2019|website=CNN|language=es-ES}}</ref> From ], Zerpa made a series of declarations that questioned the independence of powers and the transparency of the judiciary system in Venezuela. In an interview, Zerpa denounced that ] handles the Venezuelan judiciary branch arbitrarily and that in 2015 he received a call from Flores telling him that he would be appointed as justice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elcomercio.pe/mundo/venezuela/christian-zerpa-magistrado-tribunal-supremo-justicia-tsj-venezuela-deserta-huye-exterior-noticia-594602|title=Magistrado venezolano que desertó {{Not a typo|a}} EE.UU. está dispuesto a contar todo lo que sabe|access-date=20 January 2019|last=EC|first=Redacción|date=6 January 2019|website=El Comercio|language=es}}</ref> He confessed that he was appointed as justice of the Supreme Tribunal in 2015 for always have been loyal to ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://efectococuyo.com/principales/magistrado-christian-zerpa-huyo-a-eeuu-no-quiero-que-maduro-se-juramente/|title=Magistrado Christian Zerpa huyó {{Not a typo|a}} EEUU: No quiero que Maduro se juramente - Efecto Cocuyo|access-date=20 January 2019|website=efectococuyo.com|date=6 January 2019}}</ref> | |||
Among the declarations given, he affirmed that many of the court's decisions responded to orders from the ruling party,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elpitazo.com/politica/las-confesiones-mas-polemicas-del-exmagistrado-christian-zerpa-desde-orlando/|title=Las confesiones más polémicas del exmagistrado Christian Zerpa en Orlando|access-date=20 January 2019|date=7 January 2019|website=El Pitazo|language=es-ES}}</ref> and stressed that ], the current chief justice of the Supreme Tribunal, and Raúl Gorrín, president of the television channel ], are involved in corruption schemes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2001.com.ve/en-la-agenda/199335/exmagistrado-christian-zerpa-destaco-que-moreno-y-gorrin--estan-asociados-en-corrupcion-.html|title=Exmagistrado Christian Zerpa destacó que Moreno y Gorrín "están asociados en corrupción" {{!}} En la Agenda {{!}} 2001.com.ve|access-date=20 January 2019|website=www.2001.com.ve}}</ref> | |||
==Chambers== | |||
The Supreme Tribunal is divided in six chambers or instances that divide the work depending on its competences, which are the following: | |||
* Constitucional Chamber | |||
* Politic-Administrative Chamber | |||
* Electoral Chamber | |||
* Civil Cassation Chamber | |||
* Social Cassation Chamber | |||
* Criminal Cassation Chamber | |||
All of the chambers are part of the Plenary Chamber. | |||
=== Constitutional Chamber === | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center" | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;" | |||
||'''Year''' | |||
| colspan="7"|'''Judges of the Constitucional Chamber''' | |||
|- | |||
| 2001|| rowspan="5" | Iván Rincón Urdaneta<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="4"| José Delgado Ocando '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.tsj.gov.ve/eltribunal/magistradoshistorico.shtml |title=Tribunal Supremo de Justicia - Venezuela |access-date=2020-01-29 |archive-date=2014-08-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819095244/http://www.tsj.gov.ve/eltribunal/magistradoshistorico.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>|| rowspan="5" | Antonio García García '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="8" | Jesús Eduardo Cabrera '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="10" | Pedro Rondón Haaz '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/>||colspan="2" rowspan="4" | {{center|'''*'''}} | |||
|- | |||
| 2002 | |||
|- | |||
| 2003 | |||
|- | |||
| 2004 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2005|| rowspan="11" | Francisco Carrasquero López<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="11" | ]<ref name="Justicia">{{Dead link|date=February 2022 | fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>|| rowspan="2" | Luis V. Velázquez '''(Dismissed)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.eluniversal.com/2006/06/09/pol_art_09104A | archive-url=https://archive.today/20141101152846/http://www.eluniversal.com/2006/06/09/pol_art_09104A | archive-date=2014-11-01 | title=Destituido Luis Velázquez Alvaray}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2006|| rowspan="10" | Marcos Tulio Dugarte Padrón<ref>{{Dead link | date=November 2024 | fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>|| rowspan="14" | ]<ref name="Informe21">{{cite web|url=http://informe21.com/asamblea-nacional-designa-los-9-magistrados-principales-los-32-suplentes-del-tsj|title = Informe21}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2007|| rowspan="13" | Arcadio de Jesús Delgado Rosales<ref name="Informe21"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2008 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2009|| rowspan="11" | Juan José Mendoza Jover<ref name="Informe21"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2010 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2011|| rowspan="9" | ] | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2012 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2013 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2014 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2015 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2016|| rowspan="4" | ] | |||
| rowspan="4" | Luis Damiani | |||
| rowspan="4" | Lourdes Suárez | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2017 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2018 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2019 | |||
|} | |||
{| | |||
| '''*'''=Only 20 judges were chosen<ref name="tsj.gov.ve">{{cite web |url=http://www.tsj.gov.ve/legislacion/locsj.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010220083637/http://www.tsj.gov.ve/legislacion/locsj.html |archive-date=2001-02-20 |title=Ley Org nica de la Corte Suprema de Justicia - Legislaci n}}</ref> | |||
| {{Legend|#98FB98|Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years)<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url=http://www.tsj.gov.ve/legislacion/nuevaleytsj.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040619211200/http://www.tsj.gov.ve/legislacion/Nuevaleytsj.htm |archive-date=2004-06-19 |title=LEY ORG NICA DEL TRIBUNAL SUPREMO DE JUSTICIA DE LA REP BLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA}}</ref> }} | |||
| {{Legend|#FA8072|Alternate Judge (vacant seat)}} | |||
|} | |||
=== Politic-Administrative Chamber === | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center" | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;" | |||
||'''Year''' | |||
| colspan="5"|'''Judges of the Politic-Administrative Chamber''' | |||
|- | |||
| 1999|| rowspan="14" | Yolanda Jaimes Guerrero<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="14" | Levis Ignacio Zerpa<ref name="TSJ2">{{cite web |url=http://www.tsj.gov.ve/eltribunal/magistrados.html |title=Magistrados |website=www.tsj.gov.ve |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010220074912/http://www.tsj.gov.ve/eltribunal/magistrados.html |archive-date=20 February 2001 |url-status=dead}}</ref>|| rowspan="11" | Hadel Mostafá Paolini '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ2"/>||colspan="2" rowspan="6" | {{center|'''*'''}} | |||
|- | |||
| 2000 | |||
|- | |||
| 2001 | |||
|- | |||
| 2002 | |||
|- | |||
| 2003 | |||
|- | |||
| 2004 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2005|| rowspan="11" | Evelyn Margarita Marrero Ortiz<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="11" | Emiro Antonio García Rosas<ref name="Justicia"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2006 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2007 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2008 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2009 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2010|| rowspan="3" | Trina Omaira Zurita '''(Deceased)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/><ref>{{Dead link|date=March 2022 | fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2011 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2012 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2013|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Emilio Ramos G.<ref name="TSJ3">{{cite web |url=http://www.tsj.gov.ve/eltribunal/magistrados.shtml |title=Magistrados TSJ |website=www.tsj.gov.ve |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208072920/http://www.tsj.gov.ve/eltribunal/magistrados.shtml |archive-date=8 December 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Informe21"/>|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Mónica Misticchio<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/>|| rowspan="7" | María C. Ameliach<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2014 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2015|| rowspan="5" | Inocencio Figueroa<ref name="Justicia" />|| rowspan="5" | Bárbara Gabriela César<ref name="Justicia"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2016|| rowspan="4" | Marcos Medina | |||
| rowspan="4" | Eulalia Guerrero | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2017 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2018 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2019 | |||
|} | |||
{| | |||
|- | |||
| '''*'''=Only 20 judges were chosen<ref name="tsj.gov.ve"/> | |||
| {{Legend|#98FB98|Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years)<ref name="ReferenceA"/> }} | |||
| {{Legend|#FA8072|Alternate Judge (vacant seat)}} | |||
|} | |||
=== Electoral Chamber === | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center" | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;" | |||
||'''Year''' | |||
| colspan="5"|'''Judges of the Electoral Chamber''' | |||
|- | |||
| 1999|| rowspan="6" | Alberto Martini Urdaneta '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="6" | Rafael Ángel Hernández Uzcátegui '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="12" | Luis Martínez Hernández '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/>||colspan="2" rowspan="6" | {{center|'''*'''}} | |||
|- | |||
| 2000 | |||
|- | |||
| 2001 | |||
|- | |||
| 2002 | |||
|- | |||
| 2003 | |||
|- | |||
| 2004 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2005|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Iván Vásquez<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="11" | Fernando Ramón Vegas Torrealba<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="6" | Luis Alfredo Sucre Cuba '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="6" | Rafael Arístides Rengifo '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2006 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2007|| rowspan="9" | Juan José Núñez Calderón<ref name="Justicia"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2008 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2009 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2010 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2011|| rowspan="9" | Malaquías Gil Rodríguez<ref name="Informe21"/>|| rowspan="2" | Oscar León U. '''(Deceased)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/140922/fallecio-el-magistrado-y-exrector-del-cne-oscar-leon-uzcategui |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140925010419/http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/140922/fallecio-el-magistrado-y-exrector-del-cne-oscar-leon-uzcategui |archive-date=2014-09-25 |title=Falleci el magistrado y exrector del CNE, Oscar Le n Uzc tegui - Nacional y Pol tica}}</ref>|| rowspan="9" | ]<ref name="Informe21"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2012 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2013|| rowspan="7" | ]<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2014 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2015 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2016|| rowspan="4" | Fanny Márquez | |||
| rowspan="3" | ] '''(Resigned)'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.el-nacional.com/noticias/politica/magistrado-del-tsj-huyo-venezuela-para-colaborar-con-justicia_265374|title = Magistrado del TSJ huyó de Venezuela para colaborar con la justicia|date = 6 January 2019}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2017 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2018 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2019 || style="background:salmon;"| Grisel López | |||
|} | |||
{| | |||
|- | |||
| '''*'''=Only 20 judges were chosen<ref name="tsj.gov.ve"/> | |||
| {{Legend|#98FB98|Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years)<ref name="ReferenceA"/> }} | |||
| {{Legend|#FA8072|Alternate Judge (vacant seat)}} | |||
|} | |||
=== Civil Cassation Chamber === | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center" | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;" | |||
||'''Year''' | |||
| colspan="5"|'''Judges of the Civil Cassation Chamber''' | |||
|- | |||
| 1999|| rowspan="14" | Antonio Ramírez Jiménez<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="5" | Franklin Arrieche '''(Dismissed)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.eluniversal.com/2004/06/22/pol_ava_22A469989 | title=TSJ ratifica destitución de magistrado Franklin Arrieche | language=es | trans-title=TSJ ratifies dismissal of judge Franklin Arrieche | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304203648/http://www.eluniversal.com/2004/06/22/pol_ava_22A469989 | archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref>|| rowspan="14" | Carlos Oberto Vélez<ref name="TSJ1"/>||colspan="2" rowspan="6" | {{center|'''*'''}} | |||
|- | |||
| 2000 | |||
|- | |||
| 2001 | |||
|- | |||
| 2002 | |||
|- | |||
| 2003 | |||
|- | |||
| 2004|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| ]<ref name="TSJ1"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2005|| rowspan="11" | Yris Armenia Peña Espinoza<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="11" | Luis Antonio Hernández Ortiz<ref name="Justicia"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2006|| rowspan="10" | Isbelia Pérez Velásquez<ref name="Justicia"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2007 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2008 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2009 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2010 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2011 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2012 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2013|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Aurides M. Mora<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/>|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Ymaira Zapata L.<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2014 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2015|| rowspan="5" | Guillermo Blanco<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/>|| rowspan="5" | Marisela Godoy<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2016|| rowspan="4" | Vilma Fernández | |||
| rowspan="4" | Francisco Velásquez | |||
| rowspan="4" | Ivan Bastardo<ref name="TSJ3"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2017 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2018 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2019 | |||
|} | |||
{| | |||
|- | |||
| '''*'''=Only 20 judges were chosen<ref name="tsj.gov.ve"/> | |||
| {{Legend|#98FB98|Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years)<ref name="ReferenceA"/> }} | |||
| {{Legend|#FA8072|Alternate Judge (vacant seat)}} | |||
|} | |||
=== Social Cassation Chamber === | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center" | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;" | |||
||'''Year''' | |||
| colspan="5"|'''Judges of the Social Cassation Chamber''' | |||
|- | |||
| 1999|| rowspan="14" | ]<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="14" | Juan Rafael Perdomo<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="14" | Alfonso Rafael Valbuena<ref name="TSJ1"/>||colspan="2" rowspan="6" | {{center|'''*'''}} | |||
|- | |||
| 2000 | |||
|- | |||
| 2001 | |||
|- | |||
| 2002 | |||
|- | |||
| 2003 | |||
|- | |||
| 2004 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2005|| rowspan="10" | Luis Eduardo Franceschi Gutiérrez<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="11" | Carmen Elvigia Porras Escalante<ref name="Justicia"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2006 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2007 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2008 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2009 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2010 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2011 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2012 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2013|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Octavio J. Sisco<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/>|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Sonia C. Arias<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/>|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Carmen E. Gómez<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2014 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2015|| rowspan="5" | Edgar Gavidia Rodríguez<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="5" | Mónica Gioconda Misticchio Tortorella<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="5" |]<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="5" | Danilo Mojica<ref name="Justicia"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2016|| rowspan="4" | Jesús Manuel Jiménez Alonzo | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2017 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2018 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2019 | |||
|} | |||
{| | |||
|- | |||
| '''*'''=Only 20 judges were chosen<ref name="tsj.gov.ve"/> | |||
| {{Legend|#98FB98|Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years)<ref name="ReferenceA"/> }} | |||
| {{Legend|#FA8072|Alternate Judge (vacant seat)}} | |||
|} | |||
=== Criminal Cassation Chamber === | |||
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center" | |||
|- style="text-align:center; background:#f0f0f0;" | |||
||'''Year''' | |||
| colspan="5"|'''Judges of the Criminal Cassation Chamber''' | |||
|- | |||
| 1999|| rowspan="5" | Rafael Pérez Perdomo '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="8" | Alejandro Angúlo Fontiveros '''(Retired)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/>|| rowspan="14" | ]<ref name="TSJ1"/>||colspan="2" rowspan="6" | {{center|'''*'''}} | |||
|- | |||
| 2000 | |||
|- | |||
| 2001 | |||
|- | |||
| 2002 | |||
|- | |||
| 2003 | |||
|- | |||
| 2004|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Julio Elías Mayaudón<ref name="TSJ1"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2005|| rowspan="11" | Deyanira Nieves Bastidas<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="8" |] '''(Dismissed)'''<ref name="Justicia"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/politica/en-gaceta-destitucion-del-magistrado-aponte-aponte.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307191244/http://www.ultimasnoticias.com.ve/noticias/actualidad/politica/en-gaceta-destitucion-del-magistrado-aponte-aponte.aspx |archive-date=2016-03-07 |title=En Gaceta destitución del magistrado Aponte Aponte {{!}} Últimas Noticias}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2006|| rowspan="10" | Héctor Manuel Coronado Flores<ref name="Justicia"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2007|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="4"| Miriam del Valle Morandy<ref name="TSJ1"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2008 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2009 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2010 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2011|| rowspan="2" | Ninoska Queipo B. '''(Deceased)'''<ref name="TSJ1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/121011/fallecio-la-magistrada-ninoska-queipo |title=Al menos 27 muertos en ataques rusos en el este de Ucrania |publisher=Eluniversal.com |date= 17 March 2022|accessdate=2022-03-20}}</ref> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2012 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2013|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Yanina B. Karabín<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/>|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"|Úrsula M. Mujica<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/>|| style="background:salmon;" rowspan="2"| Paúl José Aponte Rueda<ref name="TSJ3"/><ref name="Informe21"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2014 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2015|| rowspan="5" | Elsa Gómez<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="5" | ]<ref name="Justicia"/>|| rowspan="5" | Francia Coello<ref name="Justicia"/> | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2016|| rowspan="4" | Juan Luis Ibarra | |||
| rowspan="4" | Yanina Karabín de Díaz | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2017 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2018 | |||
|- | |||
| style="background:#98fb98; text-align:center;"| 2019 | |||
|} | |||
{| | |||
|- | |||
| '''*'''Only 20 judges were chosen<ref name="tsj.gov.ve"/> | |||
| {{Legend|#98FB98|Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years)<ref name="ReferenceA"/> }} | |||
| {{Legend|#FA8072|Alternate Judge (vacant seat)}} | |||
|} | |||
==Criticisms== | ==Criticisms== | ||
Venezuela's judicial system has been deemed the most corrupt in the world by ] in 2014.<ref name="TRANSPcorrupt">{{cite web|title=Corruption by Country/Territory: Venezuela|url=http://www.transparency.org/country#VEN|publisher=Transparency International| |
Venezuela's judicial system has been deemed the most corrupt in the world by ] in 2014.<ref name="TRANSPcorrupt">{{cite web|title=Corruption by Country/Territory: Venezuela|url=http://www.transparency.org/country#VEN|publisher=Transparency International|access-date=26 February 2014}}</ref> ] claimed that in 2004, President ] and his allies took over the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, filling it with his supporters and adding measures so the government could dismiss justices from the court. In 2010, legislators from Chávez's political party appointed nine permanent judges and 32 stand-ins, which included several allies. They claimed that some judges may face reprisals if they rule against government interests.<ref name=HRW2012>{{cite web|title=World Report 2012: Venezuela|url=https://www.hrw.org/world-report-2012/world-report-2012-venezuela|date=22 January 2012|publisher=Human Rights Watch|access-date=18 March 2014}}</ref> | ||
It has also been alleged that the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, with the majority supporting Chávez, elected officials to the supposedly non-partisan ], despite the 1999 Constitution empowering the ] to perform that action.<ref name=HAWK>{{cite book|last1=Hawkins|first1=Kirk A.|title=Venezuela's Chavismo and populism in comparative perspective|date=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=New York|isbn=9780521765039|edition=1. publ.}}</ref> This resulted in Chavistas making up a majority of the electoral council's board.<ref name=HAWK/> | It has also been alleged that the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, with the majority supporting Chávez, elected officials to the supposedly non-partisan ], despite the 1999 Constitution empowering the ] to perform that action.<ref name=HAWK>{{cite book|last1=Hawkins|first1=Kirk A.|title=Venezuela's Chavismo and populism in comparative perspective|date=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=New York|isbn=9780521765039|edition=1. publ.}}</ref> This resulted in Chavistas making up a majority of the electoral council's board.<ref name=HAWK/> | ||
After Chávez' death and with Nicolás Maduro as president, following the 2015 National Assembly election, the ] National Assembly, the majority of whom were Bolivarian supporters, filled the Supreme Tribunal of Justice with Maduro allies.<ref name="NYTmuzzle"/><ref>{{cite news |title = |
After Chávez' death and with Nicolás Maduro as president, following the 2015 National Assembly election, the ] National Assembly, the majority of whom were Bolivarian supporters, filled the Supreme Tribunal of Justice with Maduro allies.<ref name="NYTmuzzle"/><ref>{{cite news |title = Venezuela's Lame-Duck Congress Names New Supreme Court Justices |url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-23/venezuela-s-lame-duck-congress-names-new-supreme-court-justices |access-date = 15 January 2019 |work = Bloomberg |date = 23 December 2015 |language = en }}</ref> The tribunal then quickly stripped three new opposition lawmakers of their National Assembly seats in early 2016, citing irregularities in their elections, thereby preventing an opposition ] which would have been able to challenge Maduro.<ref name="NYTmuzzle"/> The tribunal then approved several actions by Maduro and granted him more powers.<ref name="NYTmuzzle"/> | ||
In 2024, BBC and El País described the court as partisan and controlled by the ] government of ].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moleiro |first1=Alonso |title=Venezuelan opposition seeks alternatives to make its votes count |url=https://english.elpais.com/international/2024-08-06/venezuelan-opposition-seeks-alternatives-to-make-its-votes-count.html |website=EL PAÍS English |access-date=8 August 2024 |language=en-us |date=6 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Venezuela election: Maduro's manoeuvres to stay in power |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyj439myd1jo |access-date=8 August 2024 |work=www.bbc.com |language=en}}</ref> | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
* {{ |
* {{in lang|es}} | ||
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{{South America topic|Supreme Court of|title=Supreme Courts of South America|countries_only=yes}} | {{South America topic|Supreme Court of|title=Supreme Courts of South America|countries_only=yes}} | ||
{{Venezuela topics}} | {{Venezuela topics}} | ||
{{Caracas landmarks}} | {{Caracas landmarks}} | ||
{{Authority control}} | |||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
] | ] | ||
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{{venezuela-stub}} |
Latest revision as of 12:49, 1 December 2024
Venezuelan supreme court This article is about the Supreme Tribunal of Justice which is considered illegitimate by some countries in the Americas and Europe. For the Supreme Tribunal of Justice appointed by the National Assembly in 2017, see Supreme Tribunal of Justice of Venezuela in exile.This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
Supreme Justice Tribunal | |
---|---|
Tribunal Supremo de Justicia | |
TSJ building in Caracas | |
Established | 1999 |
Jurisdiction | Venezuela |
Location | Caracas |
Authorised by | Constitution of Venezuela |
Website | Official website |
President | |
Currently | Caryslia Rodríguez |
Since | 17 January 2024 |
The Supreme Justice Tribunal (Spanish: Tribunal Supremo de Justicia or TSJ) is the highest court of law in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and is the head of the judicial branch. As the independence of the Venezuelan judiciary under the regime of Nicolás Maduro is questioned, there have recently been many disputes as to whether this court is legitimate.
The Supreme Tribunal may meet either in specialized chambers (of which there are six: constitutional, political/administrative, electoral, civil, criminal, and social) or in plenary session. Each chamber has five judges, except the constitutional, which has seven. Its main function is to control, according to the constitution and related laws, the constitutionality and legality of public acts.
The Supreme Tribunal's 32 magistrates (magistrados) are appointed by the National Assembly and serve non-renewable 12-year terms. Appointments are made by a two-thirds majority, or a simple majority if efforts to appoint a judge fail three times in a row. Under article 265 of the 1999 Constitution, judges may be removed by a two-thirds majority of the National Assembly, if the Attorney General, Comptroller General, and Human Rights Ombudsperson have previously agreed to a "serious failure" and suspended the judge accordingly.
History and controversies
The Tribunal was created under the 1999 Constitution of Venezuela, replacing the Supreme Court of Venezuela. For some years provisional statutes regulated the number of judges – initially 20, with three in each chamber except the constitutional, which had five – and their selection. The statutes were replaced in 2004 by an organic law (a law required to clarify constitutional provisions). The law also permitted the National Assembly to revoke the appointment of a judge, by a simple majority, where a judge had provided false information as to their credentials.
2002 coup d'état
In a controversial sentence, on 14 August 2002, after the 2002 Venezuela coup d'état, the Supreme Tribunal acquitted Division Generals Efraín Vásquez (Army) and Pedro Pereira (Aviation), Vice-admirant Héctor Ramírez and Counter admiral Daniel Comisso in a rebellion trial. According to the sentence, "con los pronunciamientos efectuados en abril, los altos oficiales acusados no desconocieron al Gobierno, sino la orden dictada por el presidente de la República de aplicar el Plan Ávila, porque resultaba contraria a la protección de los derechos humanos de la ciudadanía y ello significaría una masacre".(With the pronouncements made in April, the accused high-ranking officials did not ignore the Government, but the order issued by the President of the Republic to apply the Avila Plan, because it was contrary to the protection of the human rights of citizens and this would mean a massacre.)
The sentence argued that there was a "power vacuum" after the Military High Command chief, General Lucas Rincón announced that Chávez had resigned from office. The discontent of the Venezuelan government was considerable; Chávez condemned the sentenced, stating "Esos once magistrados no tienen moral para tomar ningún otro tipo de decisión, son unos inmorales y deberían publicar un libro con sus rostros para que el pueblo los conozca. Pusieron la plasta".(Those eleven magistrates have no moral to make any other kind of decision, they are immoral and should publish a book with their faces so that the people know them. They put the plasta). Chávez announced a strategy to revert the decision, creating a commission in the National Assembly to review the stay of the justices in the Supreme Tribunal, saying that "No nos vamos a quedar con esa, ahora lo que viene es un contraataque del pueblo y de las instituciones verdaderas, contraataque revolucionario" and that "Así que la AN que los nombró tiene que asumir su tarea, para evaluarlos y el que no tenga los requisitos habrá que sacarlo de allí".(We are not going to stay with that, now what is coming is a counterattack of the people and the real institutions, revolutionary counterattack" and that "So the AN that appointed them has to assume its task, to evaluate them and whoever does not have the requirements will have to be removed from there.)
The result was a new Supreme Tribunal of Justice Law with two purposes: establishing a procedure to suspend justices and increasing the number of justices from 20 to 30. The following year, the executive branch managed to promote the increase to 32 justices, after which the Tribunal started the reviewed the original sentence. On 14 March 2005, the Tribunal overruled the decision. The opposition considers that the override of the sentence was caused by the changes made to the high court by a legislation change by lawmakers of the ruling party, which had a majority at the time. Government supporters consider that the first sentence was political and there were several reasons to start a trial of a coup d'état.
2006 judicial year beginning
During the 2006 judicial year beginning, the justices of the Supreme Tribunal stood up from the seats of the Criminal Chamber to chant "¡Uh, ah, Chávez no se va!" (English: "Uh, ah, Chávez won't go!"), while president Chávez was present in the auditorium. The act was interpreted as a demonstration of political partiality by the justices and the institution.
Open letter of former Justice Eladio Aponte Aponte
On 20 August 2009, drug trafficker Walid Makled was captured in Cúcuta by the Colombian Administrative Department of Security (DAS) and later moved to Bogotá. Walid was requested by both the American and the Venezuelan anti-narcotics authorities. During his arrest, Makled was found with a credential of the Venezuelan military prosecution, allegedly issued by the Supreme Tribunal justice Eladio Aponte Aponte. Venezuela's opposition's spokesperson, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, declared that the investigation would be obstructed in the country by the very public officials.
On 16 April 2012, Aponte wrote an open letter from San José, Costa Rica, in which he claimed to have received orders and pressure from president Hugo Chávez to convict Iván Simonovis, security chief of the Metropolitan District of Caracas, as well as Caracas Metropolitan Police officers Henry Vivas and Lázaro Forero, applying the maximum sentence for their participation during the Llaguno Overpass events. The letter was published in September.
Aponte fled Venezuela to Costa Rica in April 2012 after being accused of assisting Makled who said he had been paying Aponte US$70,000 per month related to joint business ventures. Aponte then contacted the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration which provided him with a flight to the United States.
2015 justices appointment
As of 2017, for a part of Venezuelan society, the legitimacy of the Supreme Tribunal is in question, especially the legitimacy of its origin, due to the appointment on 23 December 2015 of 13 main justices and 21 supplementary justices by a lame duck National Assembly with a ruling party majority, as well as its actions since. Article 264 of the Venezuelan Constitution and Title V of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice Organic Law contemplate an extense procedure of more than thirty days for the appointment of the justices, both main and alternate, in which it is required to form a Judicial Nominations Committee integrated by members of the National Assembly and civil society, which will do a preselection of candidates that will be submitted to the Republican Moral Council: the Ombudsman, the Public Ministry and the Comptroller General, which will do a second preselection that in turn will be submitted to the National Assembly, which will have a lapse of three plenary sessions to appoint the justices with the vote of two thirds of the deputies or a fourth plenary session with the vote of a simple majority in case of not getting two thirds of the vote. The appointment of the justices was not done in accordance with the legal procedure, but with a hurried process carried out on 23 December 2015 by the lame duck National Assembly with a ruling party majority, when the legislature ended on 15 December, after being defeated on the 2015 parliamentary election, where the opposition, represented by the Democratic Unity Roundtable opposition coalition, gained 112 of the 167 seats.
During the process, the "Citizen branch" issued a list of preselected candidates of previous processes, endorsed by the Ombudsman Tarek William Saab and the Comptroller Manuel Galindo. The National Assembly approved the candidates in a single plenary session on the night of 23 December 2015.
Both the opposition and several jurists have described the appointment as illegal for not being performed according to the constitution and the Organic Law, including the challenges period, their lack of responses and the omission of the definite selections of the candidates. According to a mid 2016 report issued by the Venezuelan NGO Acceso a la Justicia (Access to Justice), only one of seven justices of the Constitutional Chamber comply with the requirements for the position demanded by Venezuelan laws and their designation process was irregular.
On 14 June 2016 the National Assembly nullified the appointment carried out in 2015.
Challenge of electoral results
Weeks after the parliamentary elections and after the oathtaking of the elected representatives in the National Assembly, seven complaints were presented to the electoral results to the Amazonas, Aragua and Yaracuy states, six of which were rejected and one was admitted, suspending the results of the Amazonas state circuits.
The Electoral Chamber of the Supreme Tribunal ordered the Assembly to disincorporate the deputies from Amazonas, but the Assembly, presided by Henry Ramos Allup, disobeyed responding that the deputies already had parliamentary immunity; The Attorney General, Luisa Ortega Díaz, later assured that the National Assembly was not in contempt, since contempt could only be applied to individuals and not institutions.
After this, deputy Héctor Rodríguez, from the Great Patriotic Pole coalition, introduced an appeal to the TSJ on 7 January 2016 to declare null all of the acts of the National Assembly. On 11 January, the Tribunal accepted the appeal and ruled in favor of it, declaring without effect all of the acts of the National Assembly "while it stayed in contempt"
With each action of the National Assembly now in hands of the opposition, the ruling party introduced appeals to annul such actions, and through numerous sentences the Tribunal started limiting the Assembly actions established in the constitution, while at the same time it exercised actions constitutionally exclusive to the parliament with the justification of "legislative omission" due to the "contempt" of the Assembly.
Starting 2017, in an ordinary plenary session, the National Assembly, then presided over by Julio Borges, officially disincorporated the three contested deputies, complying with the condition of the Supreme Tribunal to end the "contempt". However, the Supreme Tribunal did not withdraw the contempt arguing that the previous directive, presided by Ramos Allup, was the one that should have done the procedure.
2017 constitutional crisis
Main article: 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisisRulings 155 and 156
On 27 March 2017, in sentence 155, the Tribunal granted faculties of the National Assembly to Nicolás Maduro to legislate and "take the civilian, military, economic, criminal, administrative, political, juridic and social measures considered necessary to prevent a state of conmotion...". On 29 March, the Tribunal published a second sentence, 156, attributed to itself the constitutional functions of the Assembly and decided on delegating them on the organisms that is considered pertinent, on the pretext of "legislative omission" of the Assembly. The sentence was met with both domestic and international alarm from different personalities and institutions, some of which defined sentence 156 as a self-coup d'état. This included Attorney General Luisa Ortega Díaz, who during a press conferenced in the seat of the Public Ministry defined both sentences as a "rupture of the constitutional order".
Maduro qualified the Attorney's declarations as a "impasse" between the Public Ministry and the Tribunal, as the reason why the same day he convened a Nation Defense Council to discuss the review of sentences 155 and 156. The following day, the Tribunal published clarifications on the sentences where the measures that transferred the parliament competences to the Tribunal and Maduro were partially suppressed. Jurists defined the clarifications as illegal, since the Constitutional Chamber cannot make a review of the sentences for being res judicata (claim preclusion).
On 1 May 2017, Maduro convenes a Constituent National Assembly based on a disputed interpretation of Articles 347, 348 and 349 of the constitution. Such call was met with preoccupation again, and many jurists argued that Maduro violated the constitution by assuming functions of the citizens to summon a Constituent Assembly.
On 17 May, the Tribunal decided on five nullity complaints from 2010 against the Reform of the Organic Law of Municipal Public Power, which replaced the Parochial Meetings with Communal Parochial Meetings. The Tribunal decided that communal councils could elect the members of the Parochial Meetings, implementing an indirect suffrage. The sentence has been qualified as a grave violation of the direct, universal and secret vote of Article 63 of the Constitution.
On 7 June 2017, the Constitutional Chamber issued sentence 378, where the Tribunal decided that the president is empowered to summon a Constituent Assembly without a previous consultative referendum. Once again the sentence was criticized for being considered violatory of the constitutional principles, specially sovereignty, since Article 5 of the constitution states that it "resides intransferibly in the people".
Helicopter attack
Main article: 2017 Caracas helicopter attackVenezuela's protesters set fire to the executive directorate of the judiciary of the Supreme Court in the Chacao municipality on 12 June 2017. Violence broke out in protests at the Supreme Court over a bid to change the Constitution. On 27 June 2017, a helicopter attacked the TSJ building with gunfire and grenades.
Attorney General response
On 8 June, the Attorney General introduced an electoral contentious appeal in the Electoral Chamber Constituent Assembly, and invoking Article 333 of the constitution she invited the Venezuelans to adhere to the appeal with the purpose of stopping the Constituent Assembly and preserve the validity of the current constitution. The following day the surroundings of the Tribunals were blocked by security forces, impeding citizens from adhering to the appeal. On 12 June, the Tribunal declared inadmissible the appeal due to "inept pretensions accumulation".
In response to the rejection of the Tribunal, the Luisa Ortega challenged the appointment of the 13 main justices and 21 alternates for considering a lack of suitability and bias in their actions, as well as aggravating the crisis in the country. She also requested the challenged justices to refraining to learn about the cause of the challenge, in accordance of Articles 55, 56 and 57 of the Supreme Tribunal Organic Law. The Attorney General explained that during the appointment procedure of the justices, the Moral Council did not convene an extraordinary sessions to evaluate the candidacy conditions in compliance of Article 74 of the Supreme Tribunal Law, but rather the candidates expedients were submitted and later she was handed the act to be signed, which she refused to do for not convening the session. On the following day, Ombudsman Tarek William Saab published a document with the alleged signature of Luisa Ortega, arguing that she did sign the act. Afterwards, María José Marcano, former secretary of the Moral Council, accused William Saab of lying and presenting a forged document, since neither Luisa Ortega or she had signed the act, finding it being done illegally with political pressures.
On 14 June, the Tribunal once again dismissed the appeal, warning that:
cualquier comisión, artificio o acción que tenga el objeto de anular la designación de magistrados subvierte el procedimiento constitucional para remoción de magistrados del TSJ, y por lo tanto, es írrito y nulo de toda nulidad y carente de validez, existencia y eficacia jurídica; y quienes participen en ellos están sujetos a la responsabilidad penal, civil y administrativa que corresponda |
any commission, artifice or action that has the purpose of nullifying the appointment of magistrates subverts the constitutional procedure for the removal of magistrates from the TSJ, and therefore, is void and void of all nullity and lacking validity, existence and legal effectiveness; and those who participate in them are subject to the corresponding criminal, civil and administrative responsibility. |
El 13 de junio la Fiscal solicitó al TSJ antejuicio de mérito contra 6 magistrados principales y 2 suplentes por conspiración para atentar contra la forma republicana de la nación, delito tipificado en el artículo 132 del Código Penal, al mismo tiempo que solicitó a los magistrados acusados inhibirse de conocer de la causa de conformidad con los artículos 55, 56 y 57 de la LOTSJ.
2017 appointment and Supreme Tribunal of Justice in exile
Main article: Supreme Tribunal of Justice of Venezuela in exileThe discontent with the Bolivarian government saw the opposition being elected to hold the majority in the National Assembly of Venezuela for the first time since 1999 following the 2015 Parliamentary Election. As a result of that election, the lame duck National Assembly consisting of Bolivarian officials filled the Supreme Tribunal of Justice with their allies.
Following months of unrest surrounding the recall referendum against President Maduro in 2016, on 29 March 2017 the Bolivarian Supreme Tribunal of Justice ruled that the National Assembly was "in a situation of contempt", because of the aforementioned rulings against the election of some of its members. It stripped the Assembly of legislative powers, and took those powers for itself; which meant that the Court would have been able to create laws. The court did not indicate if or when it might hand power back. As a result of the ruling, the 2017 Venezuelan protests began surrounding the constitutional crisis, with the Bolivarian Supreme Tribunal of Justice reversing its ruling on 1 April 2017.
After being stripped of power during the constitutional crisis and the call for a rewriting of the constitution by the Bolivarian government, opposition-led National Assembly of Venezuela created a Judicial Nominations Committee on 13 June 2017 to elect new members of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice. On 12 July 2017, Ombudsman Tarek Saab, head of the Moral Council of Venezuela, said that the call for new magistrates would not be officially recognized by the Bolivarian government and that the magistrates already appointed by the lame duck Bolivarian National Assembly would instead continue to be recognized. Despite the rejection of recognition by the Bolivarian government, the opposition-led National Assembly then voted 33 magistrates into office on 21 July 2017, separate from the Bolivarian government, forming the Supreme Tribunal of Justice in exile.
2018 opposition parties prohibition in presidential election
Main article: 2018 Venezuelan presidential electionOn 23 January 2018, the Constituent National Assembly ordered the presidential elections should be scheduled in 2018 and before 30 April. Several Venezuelan NGOs, such as Foro Penal Venezolano, Súmate, Voto Joven, the Venezuelan Electoral Observatory and the Citizen Electoral Network, expressed their concern over the irregularities of the electoral schedule, including the lack of the Constituent Assembly's competencies to summon the elections, impeding participation of opposition political parties, and the lack of time for standard electoral functions. Because of this, the European Union, the Organization of American States and countries including Australia and the United States rejected the electoral process.
Two days later, on 25 January, the high court ordered the Electoral Council to exclude from the elections the Democratic Unity Roundtable, the most voted coalition in Venezuela's democratic history, arguing that in the coalition there were political parties that did not meet validation requirements.
2018 Christmas party
In December 2018, videos and pictures were leaked showing a glamorous Christmas party that counted with an expensive feast, including French wine, taking place in the Supreme Tribunal seat. The images received considerable backlash from social networks, criticizing the costs of the party during the grave economic crisis in the country and the hypocrisy of the socialist regime.
Christian Zerpa defection
On 8 January 2019, Electoral Chamber justice Christian Zerpa defected and escaped to the United States, dissenting with the inauguration of Nicolás Maduro as president for a second period. From Orlando, Florida, Zerpa made a series of declarations that questioned the independence of powers and the transparency of the judiciary system in Venezuela. In an interview, Zerpa denounced that Cilia Flores handles the Venezuelan judiciary branch arbitrarily and that in 2015 he received a call from Flores telling him that he would be appointed as justice. He confessed that he was appointed as justice of the Supreme Tribunal in 2015 for always have been loyal to chavismo.
Among the declarations given, he affirmed that many of the court's decisions responded to orders from the ruling party, and stressed that Maikel Moreno, the current chief justice of the Supreme Tribunal, and Raúl Gorrín, president of the television channel Globovisión, are involved in corruption schemes.
Chambers
The Supreme Tribunal is divided in six chambers or instances that divide the work depending on its competences, which are the following:
- Constitucional Chamber
- Politic-Administrative Chamber
- Electoral Chamber
- Civil Cassation Chamber
- Social Cassation Chamber
- Criminal Cassation Chamber
All of the chambers are part of the Plenary Chamber.
Constitutional Chamber
Year | Judges of the Constitucional Chamber | ||||||
2001 | Iván Rincón Urdaneta | José Delgado Ocando (Retired) | Antonio García García (Retired) | Jesús Eduardo Cabrera (Retired) | Pedro Rondón Haaz (Retired) | * | |
2002 | |||||||
2003 | |||||||
2004 | |||||||
2005 | Francisco Carrasquero López | Luisa Estela Morales | Luis V. Velázquez (Dismissed) | ||||
2006 | Marcos Tulio Dugarte Padrón | Carmen Zuleta | |||||
2007 | Arcadio de Jesús Delgado Rosales | ||||||
2008 | |||||||
2009 | Juan José Mendoza Jover | ||||||
2010 | |||||||
2011 | Gladys Gutiérrez | ||||||
2012 | |||||||
2013 | |||||||
2014 | |||||||
2015 | |||||||
2016 | Calixto Ortega | Luis Damiani | Lourdes Suárez | ||||
2017 | |||||||
2018 | |||||||
2019 |
*=Only 20 judges were chosen | Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years) | Alternate Judge (vacant seat) |
Politic-Administrative Chamber
Year | Judges of the Politic-Administrative Chamber | ||||
1999 | Yolanda Jaimes Guerrero | Levis Ignacio Zerpa | Hadel Mostafá Paolini (Retired) | * | |
2000 | |||||
2001 | |||||
2002 | |||||
2003 | |||||
2004 | |||||
2005 | Evelyn Margarita Marrero Ortiz | Emiro Antonio García Rosas | |||
2006 | |||||
2007 | |||||
2008 | |||||
2009 | |||||
2010 | Trina Omaira Zurita (Deceased) | ||||
2011 | |||||
2012 | |||||
2013 | Emilio Ramos G. | Mónica Misticchio | María C. Ameliach | ||
2014 | |||||
2015 | Inocencio Figueroa | Bárbara Gabriela César | |||
2016 | Marcos Medina | Eulalia Guerrero | |||
2017 | |||||
2018 | |||||
2019 |
*=Only 20 judges were chosen | Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years) | Alternate Judge (vacant seat) |
Electoral Chamber
Year | Judges of the Electoral Chamber | ||||
1999 | Alberto Martini Urdaneta (Retired) | Rafael Ángel Hernández Uzcátegui (Retired) | Luis Martínez Hernández (Retired) | * | |
2000 | |||||
2001 | |||||
2002 | |||||
2003 | |||||
2004 | |||||
2005 | Iván Vásquez | Fernando Ramón Vegas Torrealba | Luis Alfredo Sucre Cuba (Retired) | Rafael Arístides Rengifo (Retired) | |
2006 | |||||
2007 | Juan José Núñez Calderón | ||||
2008 | |||||
2009 | |||||
2010 | |||||
2011 | Malaquías Gil Rodríguez | Oscar León U. (Deceased) | Jhannett María Madriz Sotillo | ||
2012 | |||||
2013 | Indira Alfonzo | ||||
2014 | |||||
2015 | |||||
2016 | Fanny Márquez | Christian Tyrone Zerpa (Resigned) | |||
2017 | |||||
2018 | |||||
2019 | Grisel López |
*=Only 20 judges were chosen | Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years) | Alternate Judge (vacant seat) |
Civil Cassation Chamber
Year | Judges of the Civil Cassation Chamber | ||||
1999 | Antonio Ramírez Jiménez | Franklin Arrieche (Dismissed) | Carlos Oberto Vélez | * | |
2000 | |||||
2001 | |||||
2002 | |||||
2003 | |||||
2004 | Tulio Álvarez | ||||
2005 | Yris Armenia Peña Espinoza | Luis Antonio Hernández Ortiz | |||
2006 | Isbelia Pérez Velásquez | ||||
2007 | |||||
2008 | |||||
2009 | |||||
2010 | |||||
2011 | |||||
2012 | |||||
2013 | Aurides M. Mora | Ymaira Zapata L. | |||
2014 | |||||
2015 | Guillermo Blanco | Marisela Godoy | |||
2016 | Vilma Fernández | Francisco Velásquez | Ivan Bastardo | ||
2017 | |||||
2018 | |||||
2019 |
*=Only 20 judges were chosen | Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years) | Alternate Judge (vacant seat) |
Social Cassation Chamber
Year | Judges of the Social Cassation Chamber | ||||
1999 | Omar Mora Díaz | Juan Rafael Perdomo | Alfonso Rafael Valbuena | * | |
2000 | |||||
2001 | |||||
2002 | |||||
2003 | |||||
2004 | |||||
2005 | Luis Eduardo Franceschi Gutiérrez | Carmen Elvigia Porras Escalante | |||
2006 | |||||
2007 | |||||
2008 | |||||
2009 | |||||
2010 | |||||
2011 | |||||
2012 | |||||
2013 | Octavio J. Sisco | Sonia C. Arias | Carmen E. Gómez | ||
2014 | |||||
2015 | Edgar Gavidia Rodríguez | Mónica Gioconda Misticchio Tortorella | Marjorie Calderón | Danilo Mojica | |
2016 | Jesús Manuel Jiménez Alonzo | ||||
2017 | |||||
2018 | |||||
2019 |
*=Only 20 judges were chosen | Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years) | Alternate Judge (vacant seat) |
Criminal Cassation Chamber
Year | Judges of the Criminal Cassation Chamber | ||||
1999 | Rafael Pérez Perdomo (Retired) | Alejandro Angúlo Fontiveros (Retired) | Blanca Rosa Mármol de León | * | |
2000 | |||||
2001 | |||||
2002 | |||||
2003 | |||||
2004 | Julio Elías Mayaudón | ||||
2005 | Deyanira Nieves Bastidas | Eladio Aponte Aponte (Dismissed) | |||
2006 | Héctor Manuel Coronado Flores | ||||
2007 | Miriam del Valle Morandy | ||||
2008 | |||||
2009 | |||||
2010 | |||||
2011 | Ninoska Queipo B. (Deceased) | ||||
2012 | |||||
2013 | Yanina B. Karabín | Úrsula M. Mujica | Paúl José Aponte Rueda | ||
2014 | |||||
2015 | Elsa Gómez | Maikel Moreno | Francia Coello | ||
2016 | Juan Luis Ibarra | Yanina Karabín de Díaz | |||
2017 | |||||
2018 | |||||
2019 |
*Only 20 judges were chosen | Year within the regulatory period according to LOTSJ (12 years) | Alternate Judge (vacant seat) |
Criticisms
Venezuela's judicial system has been deemed the most corrupt in the world by Transparency International in 2014. Human Rights Watch claimed that in 2004, President Hugo Chávez and his allies took over the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, filling it with his supporters and adding measures so the government could dismiss justices from the court. In 2010, legislators from Chávez's political party appointed nine permanent judges and 32 stand-ins, which included several allies. They claimed that some judges may face reprisals if they rule against government interests.
It has also been alleged that the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, with the majority supporting Chávez, elected officials to the supposedly non-partisan National Electoral Council of Venezuela, despite the 1999 Constitution empowering the National Assembly of Venezuela to perform that action. This resulted in Chavistas making up a majority of the electoral council's board.
After Chávez' death and with Nicolás Maduro as president, following the 2015 National Assembly election, the lame duck National Assembly, the majority of whom were Bolivarian supporters, filled the Supreme Tribunal of Justice with Maduro allies. The tribunal then quickly stripped three new opposition lawmakers of their National Assembly seats in early 2016, citing irregularities in their elections, thereby preventing an opposition supermajority which would have been able to challenge Maduro. The tribunal then approved several actions by Maduro and granted him more powers.
In 2024, BBC and El País described the court as partisan and controlled by the PSUV government of Nicolás Maduro.
References
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- Tragarla como un pez con espinas El Universal. 18.01.2013
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External links
- Tribunal Supremo de Justicia web site (in Spanish)
- magistrados (in Spanish)
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