Venezuelan top court reverses ruling to strip congressional power

The Venezuelan supreme court on Saturday reversed its decision to strip the country's legislature of power after widespread foreign and domestic protest. The court's review came at the request of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who couched his critique of the original ruling in terms of "maintain[ing] institutional stability and the balance of powers."

Maduro's move was labeled disingenuous by the opposition party, which controls the legislature, as the supreme court is pro-Maduro and the first ruling would have further consolidated his power. "You can't pretend to just normalize the nation after carrying out a 'coup,'" said Julio Borges, who leads the threatened legislature.

Venezuela continues to suffer a serious economic crisis under Maduro's socialist regime; food shortages are rampant and inflation is high. The president's decision to throw his weight against the court ruling may ease some tensions, but the country's turmoil is far from resolved.

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