Cuenca, Ecuador: Venezuela's Supreme Court has stripped the country's elected Congress of any power, raising fears of President Nicolas Maduro has taken a final step towards dictatorship.

The court said it would assume all legislative functions amid its contention that legislators are operating outside of the law, in a move opposition leaders decried as a "coup".

Venezuela National Assembly President Julio Borges rips Supreme Court documents ruling that it can take over responsibilities assigned to Congress. Credit:AP

The move will undoubtedly increase tensions given the opposition-controlled Congress was seen as a last bastion of dissent. It is also a slap to the international community, which just this week was pressing the socialist administration to respect the role of the legislature and to hold new elections.

In a ruling published late on Wednesday local time, the Supreme Court said that while the National Assembly continued to defy court rulings all of its actions were "invalid" and that "the activities of the parliament would be exercised directly by [this court]".