Maduro's new top judge has seen jail from inside

One of Venezuela’s most controversial judges, who was once jailed for murder, has been appointed president of the country’s supreme court. Maikel Moreno, 50, a former member of the intelligence police force, was convicted of killing a youth in 1987. He is understood to have spent several months in jail before being acquitted on appeal. He was also implicated in another murder in 1989, but in that case was found not guilty.  Venezuela’s opposition has expressed exasperation at his appointment, which was approved by President Maduro. Lester Toledo, an opposition leader, described the judge as a “human rights violator”. After leaving the security services after the murder allegations, Mr Moreno trained as a lawyer. He went on to associate himself closely with the radical left-wing…More…