Venezuela strips immunity of 7 lawmakers over coup bid

ANKARA

Venezuela stripped seven lawmakers of their parliamentary immunity on Tuesday for backing an alleged coup attempt last week against President Nicolas Maduro.

The Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) announced its decision to allow stripping immunities of Henry Ramos Allup, Luis German Florido, Marianela Magallanes Lopez, Jose Simon Calzadilla Peraza, Americo De Grazia, Edgar Zambrano and Richard Jose Blanco Delgado.

The court charged the opposition lawmakers with treason, civil rebellion, and public instigation to disobedience, a statement posted on its official website said.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab will handle the criminal investigation, it added.

The National Assembly, led by opposition leader Juan Guaido, slammed the court’s decision with a statement, saying nothing will stop the opposition in the struggle to achieve free elections.

On April 30, Guaido issued a video message alongside a small contingent of uniformed military personnel and armored vehicles in which he called for an uprising to end the "usurpation" of Maduro, and has continued to call for mass demonstration against the Venezuelan president.

Venezuela has been rocked by protests since January when Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the opposition.

Tensions escalated when Guaido declared himself acting president days later, a move supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries.

Russia, Turkey, China, Iran, Bolivia and Mexico have thrown their weight behind Maduro.