Luisa Ortega, a major critic of Venezuelan President Maduro, faces charges that could remove her from her post. She has launched legal challenges to Maduro's plans to rewrite the constitution.
Image: Reuters/M. Bello
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Venezuela's Supreme Court on Tuesday approved proceedings against Attorney General Luisa Ortega, which could lead to her removal.
The lawsuit against Ortega pertains to "alleged serious errors in carrying out her functions" and was brought by Socialist lawmaker Pedro Carrero. He accused Ortega of lying about judges and failing to respect the court's decisions.
Opposition leader Freddy Guevara said only the National Assembly could legally remove an attorney general and that lawmakers would resist such a measure. The legislature is controlled by the opposition party, but the high court has consistently overruled it the president's favor over the last year.
Ortega brought legal challenges against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's plan to rewrite the constitution, which the president's opponents believe is a ploy to cling to power as he faces violent protests against his government.
The ruling Socialists have called Ortega a "traitor" since March after she opposed an attempt by the Supreme Court, which has proven loyal to Maduro, to strip the National Assembly of its powers. She also brought charges against judges loyal to the president.
Backed by the opposition
The opposition voiced its support for Ortega on Tuesday. Parliamentary speaker Julio Borges said she was being "besieged by the dictatorship," adding the country was entering the decisive phase of the fight for democracy.
Opposition members also called Venezuelans to disobey the government.
"The current regime has sidestepped the constitution, therefore, its authority and decisions are unconstitutional," Borges said. "They cannot be recognized or obeyed by anyone."
The Public Ministry says at least 75 people have been killed since April in the daily protests by demonstrators demanding elections to remove Maduro from office.
Protests paralyze Venezuela's society
DW talked to Venezuelan journalist and photographer Ivan Reyes whose images highlight the stories of the people marching against the government.
Image: Ivan Reyes
Journalism born of need
"I’d been working as a journalist for a year when the protests started in 2014. Many independent media have come into existence in the last two years due to the government censorship, and that's how I became a reporter," Ivan Reyes told DW. He started capturing the new wave of riots on a daily basis at the end of March.
Image: Ivan Reyes
Welcome to the stone age
The ruling by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, which took away immunity from opposition parliamentarians, set off a surge of protests paralyzing the country. Although the protests were peaceful at first, government forces soon started throwing stones into the crowds. "Seriously, the police were given stones! This man, Lino Rivera, was hit by one on April 4," Reyes said.
Image: Ivan Reyes
Highway to hell
The marches take place all over Caracas every day, but they usually end on the city highways. This photo shows two officers of the national guard shooting tear gas grenades into the lines of protesters. "The projectiles should be shot above people’s heads - so the international laws says," says Reyes. "But the armed forces shoot straight into the demonstrators."
Image: Ivan Reyes
"We are all Juan"
Juan Pablo Pernalete, 20, died after being hit by a projectile on April 26. The death of the student of Universidad Metropolitana triggered angry protests in the following days. "People were chanting 'Todos somos Juan! Todos somos Juan!'" ("We are all Juan") Reyes told DW. Congressmen Miguel Pizarro and Carlos Paparoni and the Governor of Miranda Henrique Capriles all came to pay tribute.
Image: Ivan Reyes
Evasive action
Defense has become the key element for survival. "The people seem to be organized better every day," says Reyes. Against the wishes of the protest leaders, several groups have started using DIY weapons and even Molotov cocktails against the government forces, as seen in this photo. "It’s a battle they can’t win," says Reyes.
Image: Ivan Reyes
Heros of the day
"Jesús was one of those injured in the demonstrations on May 4. He was gasping and stuttering after he got hit in the head. People in the crowd spotted him and carried him to one side where paramedics gave him first aid. The members of Primeros Auxilios UCV are the real heroes of history," Reyes said of the group of doctors who go to the protests every day to help the injured.
Image: Ivan Reyes
The wrath of the women scorned
On May 6, a women’s protest against the regime was organized by Mesa de la Unidad Democrática, Venezuela's opposition party. The march wasn’t allowed to reach its destination, the Ministry of Justice, as they were halted by female officers of the national police. Former politician María Corina Machado and the student president of Universidad Central de Venezuela were among the protesters.
Image: Ivan Reyes
Ode to Venezuela
This image shot by Reyes went viral right after it was published by the author on May 8. The picture is one of the strongest snapshots from the Venezuelan protests, showing a young man walking down a road playing the Venezuelan anthem. "I don’t see the protests ending soon," said Reyes. "Let’s see which side gets tired first."
