The opposition-led National Assembly of Venezuela does not have the authority to dismiss President Nicolas Maduro from office, the state’s Supreme Court said, Sputnik reported.
Venezuelan parliament declared earlier on Monday that Maduro abandoned his post as result of dereliction of duty.
"According to the article 336 of the constitution and in accordance with the legislation, the deputies were demanded to refrain from continuation of the process of announcing political responsibility of the state’s president and from adopting any acts, which go beyond the framework of the constitutional powers," the court said Monday.
The constitution of Venezuela does not provide the basis for impeachment of the president, however, the articles 222 and 232 empower the parliamentary to exercise control over the executive power, namely, they imply the possibility of declaring the president "permanently unavailable to serve".
On October 25, 2016, the opposition-led National Assembly of Venezuela voted for initiating impeachment proceedings against Maduro and ordered him to appear at a Congress session on November 1. The parliament’s resolution mentioned the president’s "criminal and political liability and neglect of office."
However, the Venezuelan government dismissed the move, since impeachment is not stipulated by the country’s constitution as a legal procedure. On November 1, the parliament suspended the impeachment proceedings.