CARACAS (Reuters) - Former Venezuelan Supreme Court Justice Christian Zerpa has fled to the United States to protest President Nicolas Maduro’s second term that will begin with his inauguration this week, the onetime Maduro backer told a Miami broadcaster on Sunday.

FILE PHOTO: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro pauses as he speaks during a news conference at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela December 12, 2018. REUTERS/Marco Bello

The latest defection from the crisis-stricken OPEC nation’s government comes amid growing international pressure on Maduro over his new term, which resulted from a broadly boycotted 2018 vote dismissed by countries around the world as a sham.

“I’ve decided to leave Venezuela to disavow the government of Nicolas Maduro,” Zerpa said in an interview with EVTV, which is broadcast over cable and the internet.

“I believe (Maduro) does not deserve a second chance because the election he supposedly won was not free and competitive.”

The Supreme Court confirmed in a statement that he had fled, referring to him as a former magistrate and adding it opened an investigation of him in November over accusations of sexual harassment by women in his office. The court’s leadership recommended that he be dismissed over the allegations, it said, without providing details.

Zerpa was for years a crucial ally of Maduro on the Supreme Court, which has backed the ruling Socialist Party in every major legal dispute since Maduro’s 2013 election.

He wrote a 2016 ruling that provided the legal justification for Maduro’s government to strip congress of most of its powers after the Socialist Party lost control of the body to the opposition in a landslide election.

Zerpa in the interview described the Supreme Court as “an appendage of the executive branch,” and said that justices were at times summoned to the presidential palace to receive instructions on how to rule on certain sensitive cases.

The Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zerpa said he did not criticize Maduro’s May 2018 election to make sure he could pave the way for a safe exit from the country in the company of his family.

Opposition leaders have urged foreign governments not to recognize Maduro after his inauguration on Thursday, and a group of Latin American nations on Friday called on Maduro not to take office.

But diplomats consulted by Reuters said few countries were likely to shutter embassies or sever ties with Venezuela.

Zerpa’s words echoed those of former Justice Eladio Aponte, who fled to the United States in 2012 and said the government of late socialist leader Hugo Chavez - Maduro’s predecessor - systematically manipulated court affairs.

here</s>CARACAS, Venezuela — A Venezuelan Supreme Court justice and longtime government loyalist who fled the socialist country for a new life in the United States called Nicolas Maduro an incompetent president leading the once-wealthy country to ruins.

Christian Zerpa’s embarrassing defection came days before Maduro begins his second term amid calls from critics and the international community to relinquish power.

Zerpa on Monday accused Venezuela’s high court of becoming a tool of Maduro’s inner circle, lacking any judicial independence since he and a group of ruling party members were appointed to the bench in 2015.

“Nicolas Maduro doesn’t know the constitution, and he doesn’t know the laws,” Zerpa said in a Florida news conference. “This has no other name than a dictatorship.”

A once wealthy oil nation, Venezuela is in the throes of a historic crisis after two decades of socialist rule. Millions have fled, while runaway inflation leaves those remaining behind struggling to afford scarce food and medicine.

Maduro is expected to take his oath of office on Thursday before the Supreme Court, launching his second, six-year term.

Political opponents and many foreign nations consider it illegitimate, saying his re-election in May was a sham because popular opponents were banned from running and the largest anti-government parties boycotted the race.

Zerpa said that he fled with his family because he didn’t want to play a role legitimizing Maduro’s rule. Relatives staying behind have since been visited by Venezuela’s intelligence police, he said.

“Maduro is incompetent,” Zerpa said. “The country and it public companies are in ruins.”

In far-reaching comments, Zerpa said the military lacks a national conscience for allowing Maduro stay in power, and he accused Supreme Court chief justice Maikel Moreno of having ties with drug traffickers.

Zerpa didn’t provide evidence, holding back sensitive information, but said that he’s ready to cooperate with a sweeping U.S. investigation into corruption and human rights abuses among Venezuela’s well-connected.

Maduro loyalist Moreno said Sunday that Zerpa fled Venezuela to escape allegations of sexual harassment charges lodged by women in his office. Zerpa denied Moreno’s claims.

Zerpa surfaced publicly in Miami on Sunday, describing how he received directions from the influential first lady Cilia Flores on how to rule in politically sensitive cases.

As a newly installed justice, he recounted being summoned to the court and told to sign off on a key ruling without first reviewing its details. It disqualified three elected representatives of Amazonas state from taking their seats in congressfollowing the opposition’s sweep of legislative elections in 2015.

The key ruling cemented Maduro’s power, preventing the opposition from amassing a two-third super majority that would have severely curtailed Maduro’s power.

Zerpa apologized for propping up Maduro’s government as long as he did, saying that he feared being jailed as a dissident where his life would be put at risk.

“I will not be able to return to Venezuela,” Zerpa said. “I am a dead man.”

Zerpa is among the top Venezuelan officials who have been sanctioned by Canada, but he has not been targeted by U.S. authorities, who accuse dozens in Maduro’s administration of using their power for personal gain.

Pressure has been mounting against Maduro internationally and from his political opponents still inside Venezuela.

A dozen Latin American governments and Canada delivered a blistering rebuke Friday, rejecting the legitimacy of Maduro’s second term and urging him to hand over power as the only path to restoring democracy.

The opposition-led congress on Saturday opened its session for the year vowing to battle against Maduro’s socialist administration.

Maduro says he intends to take the oath despite his critics and press ahead with the socialist revolution, promising a turnaround of the failing economy.

“The revolution is stronger today than ever, more experienced than ever, to defend the sovereignty of the country,” he said. “Venezuelans have the opportunity to enjoy 2019 as a year of prosperity and progress.”</s>A former Venezuelan Supreme Court judge fled his country to the United States to protest President Nicolas Maduro's second term.

A one-time Maduro backer, Justice Christian Zerpa told a Miami broadcaster on Sunday that Maduro does not "deserve" to serve a second six-year term after winning in unfair elections. Maduro's inauguration is scheduled for Thursday.

"I've decided to leave Venezuela to disavow the government of Nicolas Maduro," Zerpa said in an interview with EVTV.

"I believe President Nicolas Maduro does not deserve a second chance because the election he supposedly won was not free and competitive," he said.

Venezuela's Supreme Court confirmed in a statement posted on social media that Zerpa had fled, referring to him as a former magistrate and saying he was under investigation over accusations of sexual harassment by women in his office.

The defection comes amid growing international pressure on Maduro over his new term, which he won in a widely boycotted 2018 election. The election was dismissed by many countries as a sham.

For years, Zerpa was an ally of Maduro's on the Supreme Court, which has backed the ruling Socialist Party in every major legal dispute since Maduro's election in 2013.

He wrote a 2016 ruling that provided the legal justification for Maduro's government to strip Venezuela's National Assembly of most of its powers after the opposition gained control of the body in a landslide election.

In the interview on Sunday, Zerpa described the Supreme Court as an "appendage of the executive branch" and said the justices were at times summoned to the presidential palace to receive instructions on how to rule on certain sensitive cases.

He added that he did not come out publicly against Maduro's re-election in May because he wanted to ensure he and his family could leave the country safely.

Zerpa's words echoed those of former Justice Eladio Aponte, who fled to the US in 2012 and said the government of Venezuela's late socialist leader Hugo Chavez - Maduro's predecessor - had systematically manipulated court affairs.

Opposition leaders have urged foreign governments not to recognise Maduro's new term and a group of Latin American countries and Canada, known as the Lima Group, issued a statement on Friday calling for Maduro not to take office.

In a tweet on Sunday, Maduro defended his new mandate, saying the people had given "legitimacy" to his administration "with their vote".

"To those who hope to break our will, make no mistake Venezuela will be respected!" he said.

The inauguration comes as sky-high inflation continues to plague Venezuela, causing food and medical shortages and forcing millions to flee the country.</s>A Venezuelan Supreme Court judge who once supported President Nicolás Maduro has fled to the United States and publicly denounced Maduro's re-election days before the inauguration.

Justice Christian Zerpa left Venezuela with his wife and two daughters, according to Miami broadcaster EVTV. Their destination in the U.S. was unclear.

Zerpa met a reporter in Orlando and told the outlet, "I think the president, Nicolás Maduro, does not deserve a second chance because the election he supposedly won was not a free election, was not a competitive election."

Maduro won the May 2018 race amid widespread accusations of fraud. He will begin his second term on Thursday.

Zerpa said he did not speak out against the election results months ago out of concerns for his family's safety.

Maduro's Socialist Party "gradually but steadily" co-opted the Supreme Court and "turned it into an appendage of the executive branch," according to the International Commission of Jurists.

In 2016, following a landslide electoral victory by the opposition, Zerpa helped Maduro consolidate power through a court decision that diminished the powers of Congress, according to Reuters.

"They chose me [for the court] because I was one of the loyal, disciplined members in the United Socialist Party of Venezuela," Zerpa told EVTV.

Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice responded to Zerpa's decision to leave by noting he was being investigated for sexual harassment, lewd acts and psychological violence.

Zerpa "fled the country, exercising his constitutional right, to avoid justice and so his crimes remain unpunished," said Supreme Court President Maikel Moreno. He said the investigation began last November.

According to a Reuters investigation, Moreno himself was arrested in connection with the homicide of a teenager in 1989 and was defrocked as an appeals court in 2007 for improperly releasing two murder suspects. "Under Moreno as chief justice, the court proceeded to dismiss every legal challenge to Maduro's authority that has reached the bench," the report stated.

Zerpa is not the first Venezuelan justice to flee to the United States. Former Supreme Court Judge Eladio Aponte Aponte fled in 2012 after accusing the government of corruption. Maduro, then the foreign minister, called him a fugitive who "sold his soul."

Under Maduro, who succeeded President Hugo Chávez in 2013, the once thriving country has seen hyperinflation, shortages of food and medicine, and waves of fleeing citizens rushing the border out of desperation. Caracas has faced angry protests, U.S. sanctions and a slump in oil exports.

The government has also cracked down on dissent through the "arbitrary arrests and detentions" of thousands of people, according to human rights groups. Many detainees say they were tortured and sexually abused.

The new president of Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly, Juan Guaido, was sworn in last week. U.S. State Department spokesperson Robert Palladino called the body "the only legitimate and last remaining democratically elected institution that truly represents the will of the Venezuelan people."</s>Venezuela Supreme Court judge flees to US to protest Maduro

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A Venezuelan Supreme Court justice who has been a longtime government loyalist has fled to the United States, saying he's protesting President Nicolas Maduro's upcoming second term.

Christian Zerpa said Sunday that Venezuela's high court has become an appendage of Maduro's inner circle since he and a group of ruling party members were appointed to the bench in 2015.

"We are in the presence of an autocracy that has condemned to death anyone who opposes this particular vision of power," Zerpa told Miami-based broadcaster EVTV.

He said the government "has only brought hunger, misery and destruction to the country."

A once wealthy oil nation, Venezuela is in the throes of a historic crisis after two decades of socialist rule. Millions have fled, while runaway inflation leaves those remaining behind struggling to afford scarce food and medicine.

Zerpa said that he fled with his family because he didn't want to play a role legitimizing Maduro's rule when the Supreme Court swears him in for a second term this week.

Supreme Court chief justice Maikel Moreno, a Maduro loyalist, said Sunday that Zerpa fled to escape allegations of sexual harassment charges lodged by women in his office.

Zerpa said that he is now willing to collaborate with U.S. officials investigating corruption and human rights abuses.

He is among the top Venezuelan officials who have been sanctioned by Canada.

Pressure has been mounting against Maduro internationally and from his political opponents still inside Venezuela.

A dozen Latin American governments and Canada delivered a blistering rebuke of Maduro on Friday, rejecting the legitimacy of his second term and urging him to hand over power as the only path to restoring democracy.

The opposition-led congress on Saturday opened its session for the year vowing to battle against Maduro's socialist administration.

Maduro says he intends to take the oath despite his critics and press ahead with the socialist revolution, promising a turnaround of the failing economy.

"The revolution is stronger today than ever, more experienced than ever, to defend the sovereignty of the country," he said. "Venezuelans have the opportunity to enjoy 2019 as a year of prosperity and progress."</s>WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Venezuela Supreme Court judge Christian Zerpa has fled to the US to protest over President Nicolás Maduro's second term in office, according to the reports.



Last year's election 'was not free and competitive', the former Maduro loyalist reportedly told a Florida radio station.



And he accused President Maduro of systematically manipulating the affairs of the Supreme Court.



In response, the court reportedly said Mr Zerpa was fleeing allegations of sexual harassment.



Opposition parties boycotted the 2018 vote, calling it a sham.



Mr Maduro is due to be formally inaugurated to a second term on 10 January.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX</s>Venezuela Supreme Court judge flees to US to protest Maduro

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — A Venezuelan Supreme Court justice who has been a longtime government loyalist has fled to the U.S., saying he's protesting President Nicolas Maduro's plans for a second term.

Christian Zerpa told Miami-based broadcaster EVTV that Venezuela's high court has become an appendage of Maduro's inner circle since he and a group of ruling party members were appointed to the bench in 2015.

He said Sunday that he decided to break with Maduro because he didn't want to play a role legitimizing his rule when the Supreme Court swears him in for a second term this week.

Supreme Court chief justice Maikel Moreno said Sunday that Zerpa fled to escape allegations of sexual harassment.

Zerpa is among top Venezuelan officials who have been sanctioned by Canada.</s>Former Venezuelan Supreme Court Justice Christian Zerpa has fled to the United States to protest President Nicolas Maduro's inauguration this week for a controversial second term.

 

 The high-ranking defection comes a day after Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly called Maduro's election in a vote last May illegitimate and declared its intention to create a transitional body to prepare for democratic elections.

Read more: How Venezuela gets plundered

On Friday, a dozen Latin American countries and Canada declared they would not recognize Maduro as president if he stays in office and called on him to hand power to the National Assembly.

In an interview in Florida with EVTV, which is broadcast over cable and the internet, Zerpa said the May election "was not free and competitive."

He said he did not criticize the election at the time because he wanted to ensure the safe exit of his family from Venezuela, which has been plunged into economic and social misery under Maduro.

"I've decided to leave Venezuela to disavow the government of Nicolas Maduro," Zerpa said in the interview.

The Supreme Court confirmed Zerpa had fled and that it had opened an investigation into the judge over alleged sexual harassment of women in his office. It said the investigation was started in November 2018 but had only been made public now that he had defected.

The National Assembly was stripped of its powers in 2016 by the Supreme Court, which is dominated by Maduro loyalists, and replaced by a separate regime-created Constituent Assembly.

Zerpa, a long time Socialist ally, wrote the ruling that provided the legal justification to strip congress of its powers after the opposition gained control of the body from the Socialists.

In the interview, Zerpa described the Supreme Court as "an appendage of the executive branch," and claimed justices often received instructions from the presidential palace.

The May election called by the Constituent Assembly was boycotted by most of the main opposition groups, many of whose figures have been jailed or driven into exile.

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>President Maduro is due to be inaugurated for a second term on Thursday ARIANA CUBILLOS/AP

A supreme court judge has fled Venezuela days before he was due to take part in the swearing-in of President Maduro for a second term of office.

“I’ve decided to leave Venezuela to disavow the government of Nicolás Maduro,” Christian Zerpa, a former loyalist to the president, told a TV station in Miami. Mr Zerpa was a congressman in the left-wing ruling party before he was fast-tracked to the position of judge in 2016.

The supreme court has rubber-stamped all Mr Maduro’s decisions since he took office in 2013. Mr Maduro is due to be inaugurated on Thursday.

Most Latin American governments, along with the European Union, the United States and Canada, have indicated that they will not consider him the legitimate president of Venezuela…</s>CARACAS – Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro defended his government's legitimacy Sunday as his bid for a second six-year term has come under growing fire internationally and by the country's opposition-controlled National Assembly.

But in another sign of turmoil around Maduro, who is to be sworn in Thursday, a Supreme Court judge and former ally appeared on US television to denounce last year's election, having fled the country.

"I have decided to leave Venezuela ... to disavow the government of Nicolas Maduro," Christian Zerpa, who sat on a panel that deals with electoral issues, told EVTV Miami.

"It was not a free election, it was not a competitive election," he said of last year's vote, going on to accuse Maduro of manipulating the court.

News of the Zerpa's defection came a day after the opposition-controlled National Assembly declared Maduro's presidency to be illegitimate and called for a transitional government to organize democratic elections.

Responding on Twitter, Maduro declared: "Legitimacy has been given us by the people with their vote. To those who hope to break our will, make no mistake. Venezuela will be respected!"

Maduro was re-elected 20 May in presidential elections called by a regime-backed Constituent Assembly and boycotted by the opposition, many of whose best-known leaders were under house arrest or barred from running.

The United States, the European Union and a grouping of countries from the Western Hemisphere called the Lima Group have refused to recognize the election.

On Friday, Canada and 12 other Lima Group countries joined in calling for Maduro to step down and open the way for a transitional government formed by leaders of the National Assembly.

The US State Department issued a statement Saturday saying the United States stands with the National Assembly as "the only legitimate and last remaining democratically elected institution that truly represents the will of the Venezuelan people."

On Sunday, the Venezuelan foreign ministry accused Washington of attempting "to consummate a coup d'etat ... in promoting the repudiation of legitimate and democratic institutions."

The Supreme Court, meanwhile, said it has opened an investigation into Zerpa, over allegations he sexually harassed women who worked in his office.

The Supreme Court said the investigation dates back to November 2018, but it was only made public after the reports that the justice had fled to Florida.

Venezuelan journalists based in the US linked the defection to Maduro's controversial attempt to remain in office for another six years.

Journalist Carla Angola, who said she interviewed Zerpa, reported he was in Florida and was prepared to cooperate with US prosecutors investigating Venezuelan corruption and human rights violations.

Supreme Court president Maikel Moreno charged that Zerpa was the subject of numerous allegations of "indecorous and immoral conduct to the detriment of a group of women."

The Supreme Court statement said he was being investigated for "sexual harassment, lascivious acts and psychological violence" against women in his office.

Moreno denied that the case exposes divisions within the court, which has acted consistently in line with the government.

"Far from separating us, it unites us," he said.

Zerpa was a member of the ruling United Socialist Party (PSUV) and was appointed to the high court in 2015 just days before the opposition assumed the majority in the National Assembly.

He was among a group of Venezuelan officials hit with financial sanctions by Canada, as it moved to put pressure on the Maduro government.
Supreme Court Justice Christian Zerpa [es] of Venezuela defects to the United States and denounces the Government of Venezuela for rigging the election.