Venezuelan government leaders on Saturday urged the country's Supreme Court to review its decision to take over the National Assembly's legislative powers, a much-decried move that opposition members have called a coup. The Supreme Court ruled late Wednesday that until lawmakers abided by previous rulings that nullified all legislation passed by congress, the high court could assume the constitutionally assigned powers of the National Assembly, which has been controlled by the opposition since it won a landslide victory in elections in late 2015..

Friday brought a second day of condemnations of the ruling by the United States and governments across Latin America. Venezuela’s chavista-friendly Supreme Court issued a ruling Wednesday declaring itself the legislative body of the federal government, annulling the opposition-ruled National Assembly for showing “contempt” towards the socialist government. In Venezuela, the supreme court has effectively shut down the congress, and the congress was the only branch of government not controlled by the ruling Socialist Party. The opposition won control of the National Assembly in elections in 2015, but the supreme court has annulled nearly every decision it has taken. Venezuelan Supreme Court closes Legislative gives all power to Maduro: world condemnation

The Venezuelan Supreme Court's decision late Wednesday to take control of the opposition-controlled legislature has set off a wave of outrage, with some hemispheric neighbors, including the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Argentina, denouncing the measure as a threat to democracy. Alluding to criticism of the court's ruling, he said it is the government's "right-wing, fascist" opponents who are attempting to break the order, but said his foes would be left with "their cold champagne, uncorked,"

Still, Maduro also called for renewed dialogue between the government and the opposition, saying that is the only path to resolving Venezuela's political crisis. In a wide-ranging ruling, the court criticized the National Assembly for what it called disrespect and invalidity of its proceedings. It said as long as that persisted, this Constitutional Chamber will ensure that the parliamentary powers are exercised directly by this chamber or by the body it has in place to ensure the rule of law.

Maduro is now the National Assembly,'' assembly leader Julio Borges said. Also Friday, a group of anti-government protesters, mainly college students, clashed with the Venezuelan National Guard during a demonstration outside the Supreme Court building.
Venezuela's Supreme Court reverses their controversial ruling. The court restores legislative power to the National Assembly. However, the court's decision still allows President Nicolás Maduro to enter joint-venture deals.