Venezuela chief prosecutor to face charges as crisis deepens

“Hanging over the country is a bleak outlook that could destroy the state,” she told Union Radio.

The opposition, for whom Ortega Diaz was until recently a favourite punching bag, was quick to condemn the ruling.

At a press conference, the Democratic Unity alliance vowed to redouble its campaign of street protests seeking Maduro’s removal that have left at least 70 people dead and hundreds injured or arrested. In its strongest rebuke yet of Maduro, it vowed to disavow all actions by the government as it called on Venezuelans to organize themselves in “committees to restore democracy” to block Maduro’s plans for a July election to choose delegates to a constitutional assembly under rules that heavily favour the government.

“All Venezuelans need to stand up to rescue our nation’s democracy,” National Assembly President Julio Borges said in a press conference surrounded by top opposition leaders. He said in coming days the opposition would announce a number of actions building up toward one last permanent, national protest to thwart Maduro.

Ortega Diaz, whose agency is semi-autonomous, has emerged as one of the most critical voices of Maduro within the government. A long-time loyalist, she has denounced Maduro for betraying the legacy of Hugo Chavez, who crafted the nation’s current constitution.

A former leftist student activist, she was named chief prosecutor in 2007 and reappointed to another six-year term in 2014. Under the current constitution which Maduro now wants to scuttle, she can only be removed by the National Assembly.

A defiant Ortega Diaz on Monday vowed to continue her fight and touched on what many believe is her strongest chip against the government: investigations into corruption by top officials.

“We have to begin demanding that they start providing the bills of where all this money is coming from that that they spend on stages and for the marches,” Ortega Diaz said. “Maybe what they spend on stages would be better used buying medicine and food.”

Joshua Goodman, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Venezuela chief prosecutor to face charges as crisis deepens

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