Maduro Justice: Secret Evidence and Military Courts for Venezuela's Protesters

Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino has in the past defended the use of military courts as legal when protesters attack soldiers, and explained he was coordinating these cases with Attorney General Luisa Ortega. Ortega, however, told reporters in a May press conference that judging civilians in a military tribunal goes against the country’s constitution. Calls to the Ministry of Defense for further comment were not returned. Some experts see the greater reliance on military courts as evidence that the government is having trouble keeping its grip on the country’s institutions.  More…