The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro celebrated the people’s acknowledgement of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice.
«I dare to thank all the lawyers, attorneys, civil society groups, institutions that have put resources to oppose the activation of the original constituent power … or to ask for any clarification on the constituent process, I thank you (… ) Because that’s how a solid democracy works, a democracy with institutions. To go to the Supreme Court, to ask for decisions of the Constitutional Chamber, what it tells us is that the whole country acknowledges the legitimacy, strength and validity of the Constitutional Chamber of the TSJ and the full functioning of Venezuelan democracy.
The Head of State said he will comply with the provisions issued by the Supreme Court. «If the Constitutional Chamber said X or Y, I would do it. I obey the orders and supreme mandates of the Constitutional Chamber and the Supreme Court of Justice», he said.
Likewise, the President issued his opinion on the ruling of the Constitutional Chamber of the TSJ on the appeal raised by the lawyer Leopoldo Pito Martínez, regarding the debate to the legality of the constituent process
«The Constitutional Chamber has issued a clear, unequivocal and conclusive ruling that the ANC’s call is perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the constituent of 1999 and it is constitutional and legal. So there has spoken the Constitutional Chamber of the TSJ and we must all abide by their sentence and follow the path of the National Constituent Assembly».
He denounced that there were sectors that distorted the legality of article 348 of the CRBV (Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela), when it expresses clearly that the activation of the original power and constitutional sovereignty resides in any of 4 instances, «(either) the President of the Republic, (or) two thirds of the National Assembly, legitimately Conformed, (or) two-thirds of the cabildos and the municipal councils of the country, (or) a 15% of the voters, to sign and convene the National Constituent Assembly. »
He announced that in the coming days will be strengthened the process of activation of the ANC, «(Be) Welcome the constitutional debate, welcome freedom of expression. The gathering of signatures will already start, come rain or come shine, with the participation of the people. I call on the Venezuelan people to give their support with their signatures. «
