Caracas Chronicles

The trouble with the past is that it already happened. Take, for instance, this decision by the rojo, rojito Supreme Tribunal of Justice, dated May 26th, 2009 which touched on the suddenly all-so-topical question of whether you can exercise an office that you haven’t been sworn into. (The case in question dealt with the governorship of Carabobo State rather than the presidency, but the principle is the same.)

On that occasion, the most august Magistrate Francisco Carrasquero, ruled that:

“…resulta patente que el acto de juramentación del jefe del ejecutivo estadal constituye una solemnidad imprescindible para la asunción de la magistratura estadal y, por tanto, condiciona la producción de los efectos jurídicos…”

To wit:

“…it is patently obvious that the act of swearing in the head of the state executive constitutes a required solemnity for assuming the leadership of a state government and, therefore, is a condition to producing its legal effects…”

En efecto, son varias las cosas que resultan patentes…