Page 12 - aruba-today-20170819

A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 19 auguSt 2017

Pro-government assembly in Venezuela takes congress’ powers

international condemna- assembly President Delcy
tion from the dozens of Rodriguez said as dele-
countries that have already gates broke into loud ap-
criticized the creation of plause while voting by ac-
the all-powerful assembly clamation for the measure.
as an undemocratic power Opposition lawmakers re-
grab by Maduro. acted defiantly, calling on
Assembly delegates ap- Venezuelans and foreign
proved a decree giving diplomats to join them for
them the authority to pass a special legislative session
legislation to guarantee the Saturday in which they will
peace, sovereignty and repudiate the ruling party’s
economic well-being of latest effort to monopolize
Venezuelans in the face of power.
what they consider machi- “The constructional assem-
nations and sabotage by bly and all its acts are illegal
Maduro’s opponents. and unconstitutional,” con-
While the decree does gress President Julio Borges
not explicitly dissolve con- said on Twitter. “This deci-
gress it virtually nullifies the sion won’t be accepted by
already-enfeebled pow- the National Assembly, the
ers. One socialist party international community or
leader said for lawmakers the people.”
In this Aug. 4, 2017 photo, Venezuela’s Constituent Assembly poses for an official photo after to continue meeting in the Government opponents
being sworn in, at Venezuela’s National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela. Delegates to the all-
powerful assembly unanimously approved a decree Friday, August 18, giving it the authority to neoclassical building that had been warning that
pass legislation on a range of issues affecting Venezuela’s security and sovereignty. has been the parliament’s the assembly would move
(AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) home for decades they to squash dissent following
would need to seek permis- an election for its members
By FABIOLA SANCHEZ ment constitutional assem- lating a standoff between sion from the constitutional last month that was boy-
Associated Press bly took over the powers of President Nicolas Maduro assembly. cotted by the opposition
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) the opposition-led congress and his political foes. “We will teach them a his- and criticized by many for-
— Venezuela’s pro-govern- Friday, dramatically esca- The move triggered further toric lesson,” constitutional eign governments. q
El Salvador, Guatemala lawmakers pass bans on child marriage

By MARCOS ALEMAN lived in a common-law rela- step forward in the effort to change on the ground and continue seeing girls as ob-
Associated Press tionship. Six out of 10 of the end child marriage in Latin better protection for girls,” jects of pleasure and not as
SAN SALVADOR, El Salva- minors who were in a rela- America and around the Barr said in an email Friday. having rights.”
dor (AP) — El Salvador and tionship with an adult lived world,” said Heather Barr, a The legislation in Guate- The new laws are part of
Guatemala have joined a in the country’s rural areas. senior researcher with Hu- mala, which will go into ef- a regional trend in Central
trend in clamping down on Zaira Navas, director of El man Rights Watch. She said fect in a month, eliminates America. In July, Honduras’
child marriage by passing Salvador’s National Coun- El Salvador was among the a provision that allowed legislature also unanimously
legislation that would out- cil on Childhood and Ado- countries that committed judges to authorize mar- passed a bill prohibiting the
law marriage with minors. lescence, said the previous under the 2016 Sustainable riages between adults and marriage of anyone young-
Legislation passed in both law had allowed adults to Development Goals to end children 16 and older. er than 18 even with paren-
countries Thursday to ban avoid legal charges for child marriage by 2030. Leonel Dubon, director tal consent or in pregnancy
such unions even in cas- sexual assault through mar- “In many countries, there of the Childhood Refuge, cases. Barr said Costa Rica
es of parental consent or riage. The United Nations’ is a serious gap between which cares for abused has also reformed its laws
pregnancy. children’s advocate UNI- laws on child marriage and children, predicted it would on the issue.
An El Salvador government CEF and other supporters enforcement — so it will be help change prevalent According to UNICEF, 11
survey in 2015 found that applauded the change. important to see what steps macho attitudes. percent of girls aged 15 to
there were 22,361 minors “El Salvador’s move to the El Salvador government “A cultural pattern exists 19 in Latin America and the
between the ages of 12 ban child marriage is great will take to make sure that that permits giving girls to Caribbean are currently
and 17 who had married or news, and an important the new law translates into adults,” Dubon said. “They married or in a union.q