VP refrains from addressing Congress to avoid violating the Constitution

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Wednesday stated that the Government, including himself, was fully aware that it was not up to him as vice-president to address the National Assembly (AN) to present the Government's Yearly Report, as it would have been a violation of the Constitution.

Reference was made to the fact that he did not deliver a speech on Tuesday during the delivery of the Government's Report for fiscal year 2012.

"The President (Hugo Chávez) instructed me to show up at Congress to submit the Yearly Report in written since I was not entitled as vice-president to do it in his stead. We were always aware of this."

Maduro remarked that the act was conducted pursuant to Articles 236-237 of the Constitution.

The vice-president seized the opportunity to condemn reactions from the opposition coalition prior to the presentation of the Yearly Report. Maduro stressed that opposition deputies tried to disavow the established Government. He explained that some deputies did not attend the event at the National Assembly whereas others left the room as soon as he took the floor and then claimed that Constitution was infringed.

In a brief message to Congress on Tuesday, Maduro said that the opposition still disregards the current Government's character and remarked that it is not a fragile government, but "the revolution's power shored up by the people."

Translated by Jhean Cabrera