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ePaper created 2015-11-10, 17:27:36 | version 1.33.00
REDACTED Page 64 of 190 2007 and 2008 as well as 54 law from 2010 to 2012,232 on a wide variety of issues including the creation of criminal offences. Some of these laws were enacted without consultation as required by law.233 According to a report by a local civil society organization, between 2007 and 2008, 73% of the laws passed were drafted by the executive branch and only 27% by the legislative branch.234 This clearly illustrates that the President has been the main legislator despite the existence of a National Assembly.235 The scope of the powers attributed the President under these laws testify to the absence of separation of powers in the current state structure and to the supremacy of the President. b)The Presidency’s control over the Judiciary and the Office of Public Prosecutions since 1999 The new constitution invested the National Assembly with the power to restructure the judiciary, including to remove and appoint justices on the supreme tribunal236 and make decisions on the judicial budgets.237 The President used the Judicial Disciplinary Tribunals (Comision de Funcionamiento y Reestructuracion del Sistema Judicial (CFRSJ) “to selectively purge judges not favourable to [Online] 30 December. Available from: http://www.cidh.oas.org/countryrep/Venezuela2009eng/VE09CHAPIIIENG.htm#_ftnref119 [Accessed 22th August, 2015]. Section III (3c) 231 EL UNIVERSAL. (2009) Señalan al Legislativo de propiciar el abuso de poder. El Universal. [Online] 16 September. Available from: http://www.eluniversal.com/2009/09/16/pol_art_senalan-al- legislati_1573078 [Accessed 22 August 2015] (Report of the Parliamentary Observatory of the Citizen Identity Movement. Gathered by the press.); also see: EL NATIONAL (2009) Denuncian que la AN permite abusos de poder del Presidente. El Nacional. [Online] 16 September. Available from: http://www.el-nacional.com/www/site/p_contenido.php?q=nodo/99417/Nacional/Denuncian-que- la-AN-permite-abusos-de-poder-del-Presidente [Accessed 22 August, 2015]; also see: MCCARTHY- JONES. (2014) ‘Ploughing the Sea’in a World of Regions: Venezuela's Role in Reviving Latin American Regionalism for the Twenty-First Century. Democracy, Geopolitics and Revolution in Latin America. [Online] Available from: http://www.academia.edu/13406640/Ploughing_the_Sea_in_a_World_of_Regions_Venezuelas_Role _in_Reviving_Latin_American_Regionalism_for_the_Twenty-First_Century [Accessed 22 August, 2015] p.49 232 ULTIMAS NOTICIAS (2013). Cuatro Leyes Habilitantes en 13 años; SÁNCHEZ, D. (2013) En 13 años han sido aprobadas cuatro leyes habilitantes 233 VENEZUELA. Organic Law of the Public Administration. Article 136 and 137. (2001) Caracas: Official Gazette 234 EL UNIVERSAL. (2009) Señalan al Legislativo de propiciar el abuso de poder; EL NATIONAL (2009) Denuncian que la AN permite abusos de poder del Presidente 235 EL UNIVERSAL. (2009) Señalan al Legislativo de propiciar el abuso de poder; EL NATIONAL (2009) Denuncian que la AN permite abusos de poder del Presidente 236 VENEZUELA. Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Title V, Chapter 3, Article 264 & 265. (1999) 237 VENEZUELA. Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Title V, Chapter 1, Article 187(6). (1999)