“The president has carried out a coup d’etat!”<br /><br /> Those the words of the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly after the Supreme Court ruled it would take over the functions of the opposition-led congress.<br /><br /> The judges, seen as supporters of President Nicolas Maduro, have annulled many of the assembly’s decisions and claims it did not properly deal with a vote-buying scandal. <br /><br /> National Assembly President Julio Borges told a rally: “This is a ruling against a people who voted for change in their country.<br /><br /> “The Supreme Court believes it can walk over the Venezuelan people.<br /><br /> “In the name of the people, I want to say clearly what this ruling means to us.”<br /><br /> Borges then went ahead and ripped up the court’s ruling, to the applause of those gathered.<br /><br /> “This is simply trash,” he said.<br /><br /> The Organisation of American States has backed up the National Assembly President, also accusing Maduro of carrying out what it calls a “coup” and an attack on democracy.<br /><br /> Numerous countries also condemned the court verdict, while Peru recalled its ambassador to Venezuela.<br /><br /> The opposition took control of Congress in 2015.<br />
