Caracas (AFP)

The Constituent Assembly of Venezuela, close to Socialist President Nicolas Maduro, announced Monday that it was planning to call early parliamentary elections to renew the Parliament, the only institution controlled by the opposition.

"I will propose a commission (...) to evaluate in accordance with the law, the Constitution and the political situation of our country, with consultations of all the organizations, the people, the street, when will be the best moment to conduct these elections, "said the President of the Constituent Assembly (ANC) Diosdado Cabello at a meeting.

"If it results from this consultation that it must be January 1 [2020], we will organize these elections of the National Assembly on January 1. If it turns out that these elections are to be held this year (... ), they will be done as the consultation says, "said the number two of the regime chaviste, who hopes to give" this information to the country in the coming days ".

Elections to renew the National Assembly, chaired by opponent Juan Guaido, are initially scheduled for 2020.

The opposition won a majority in Parliament in December 2015 for a period of five years, but shortly after taking office, the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), an institution deemed close to the government of Nicolas Maduro, was declared null and void. his works.

The fully empowered Constituent Assembly was elected in a disputed poll in July 2017 to bypass the opposition-dominated parliament after months of anti-Maduro demonstrations that left 125 people dead.

Its mandate, extended in May until the end of 2020, included the drafting of a new Constitution by August 2019, but no project has been made public so far.

- "New ineptitude" -

Juan Guaido, recognized president of Venezuela by fifty countries, including the United States, had anticipated on Sunday this idea of ​​early elections by calling it a "new ineptitude". "This unscrupulous regime (...) imagine illegally get rid of the Venezuelan Parliament, that's why they convene tomorrow (Monday) the ANC".

He warned that "convening illegal elections" and "suing" MPs were among the possible measures of the Constituent Assembly.

Precisely, the Supreme Court (TSJ) launched prosecutions on Monday against three deputies for high treason, as part of the failed military uprising of April 30 orchestrated by Mr. Guaido. Deputies Jose Guerra, Tomas Guanipa and Juan Pablo Garcia are thus added to the dozen of parliamentarians already pursued.

"This is a way to continue to annihilate the National Assembly, to prevent it from doing its job and to advance in the policy of intimidation that the government applies against those who think differently," responded Tomas Guanipa to the Venepress website.

The TSJ transmitted the opening of the proceedings to the Constituent Assembly, which lifted the parliamentary immunity of the deputies concerned so that they could be brought before ordinary courts.

- "Revolutionary counter-attack" -

Twenty deputies have already been deprived of their immunity and have taken refuge in diplomatic buildings, abroad or in hiding.

"The time for the defense is over, now the revolutionary counter-attack," said Diosdado Cabello at the ANC session, also convened to reject the sanctions announced on August 5 by US President Donald Trump, who ordered a total freeze of property in the United States from the Venezuelan government.

Venezuela is currently facing the toughest political and economic crisis in recent history, marked by recession, hyperinflation and the power struggle between Juan Guaido and Nicolas Maduro.

After exploratory contacts and a first meeting in mid-May in Oslo under the auspices of Norway, discussions between government officials and those of Juan Guaido resumed on July 8 in Barbados.

Maduro decided in early August to suspend the participation of its representatives in these talks in response to new US sanctions. Three days later, he said he was "ready to reach agreements" with the opposition.

© 2019 AFP