Democratic Action Party's Henry Ramos Allup to Lead Venezuela's National Assembly

A seasoned politician was chosen by the Venezuelan opposition to lead the National Assembly.

BBC said 72-year-old Henry Ramos Allup was the favored one to head opposition-controlled Congress. He is said to be the first opposition politician on the job in 16 years, following their landslide win during the Dec. 6 polls.

The same report detailed that he got 69 out of 111 votes, defeating Justice First party's Julio Borges in a secret ballot.

As he takes his seat on Tuesday, along with other lawmakers in the National Assembly, Ramos Allup vowed that the legislative body would act "as an autonomous power."

A similar TelesurTV report added that new Congress head will also prioritize a change in government, which highlighted the plan of the opposition to oust current President Nicolas Maduro from his post.

"We represent an alternative. We are not going to be anti-establishment, rather an autonomous legislative power. We ask people to watch us, to demand more of us, and keep an eye on what we do to make sure we honor our commitment," Ramos Allup said in the BBC report.

In addition, Bloomberg noted that Ramos Allup's election as head of Congress serves as preparation for the opposition lawmakers as they take power in the legislative body.

Ramos Allup added in the same report that the body will continue to legislate and regulate, noting that ministers and government officials will be invited for questioning.

"Maduro should be thinking about the possibility of resigning. If that's one way to solve the political crisis, it shouldn't be ruled out," he added as he noted that a thorough investigation on the corruption allegations in Maduro's government will be done.

Earlier, the opposition said that the new legislature in the country should make it their priority to remove Maduro from office before his term ends in 2019.

Opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who is currently serving jail time, noted that ousting Maduro should be one of the first things discussed when the legislature meets this month, an earlier AFP report published by Yahoo Sports revealed.

The Mesa de la Unidad Democrática (MUD), the main opposition bloc in the country, claimed 99 seats during the recent elections, as per a separate TelesurTV report. It added that this is enough to hold the majority of the parliament.

Opposition leaders are now hoping to make long-needed changes in the existing policies and programs of the government.

Aside from removing Madison from his post, opposition movement coordinator Manuel Rodriguez said in the TelesurTV report that they also aim to push for an amnesty for "political" prisoners.

It was also highlighted that the programs of the opposition would center on human rights, equality and the rights of women, persons with disabilities and indigenous communities.