Venezuela court seeks extradition of Maduro opponents

AFP  |  Caracas 

Venezuela's highest court has authorised the to demand the extradition of exiled former state and former chief -- both opponents of

Like Ortega before him, Borges has taken refuge in neighboring

Ramirez, the former of company and a powerful opponent of Maduro, has fled to

The opposition has dismissed the court as a tool of Maduro, who it says has used his power to wrest control of state institutions.

earlier this week accused Ortega of being an "accomplice" in the August 4 incident, in which Maduro was seen reacting on live television to the first of two explosions as he addressed a military parade in

Maduro said the blasts were from explosives-laden drones sent to assassinate him, though opposition figures accuse him of fabricating the incident to step up repression.

Ortega, an unwavering opponent of Maduro, denied any involvement.

"My struggle against tyranny is only with weapons that the law gives me," she replied in a tweet.

"But you and well know that when I plan things, I do them well. If I had been behind this plan, the country would be celebrating its freedom."

Ortega participated in a symbolic trial of the exiled opposition-run in which sentenced Maduro to 18 years for corruption.

Ramirez, meanwhile, is accused of fraudulent embezzlement as part of a "web of corruption" for which 90 ex-employees have been arrested, part of a crackdown on opponents by Maduro.

has arrested 14 people over the attack, including an opposition politician,

The on Friday condemned alleged arbitrary detentions and forced confessions by in its investigation into the failed August 4 drone "attack".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sat, August 18 2018. 05:00 IST