Venezuela’s Supreme Court Judge Christian Zerpa has fled to the US to protest over President Nicolás Maduro’s second term in office.

The former Maduro loyalist says last year’s election “was not free and competitive”.

He is accusing President Maduro of systematically manipulating the affairs of the Supreme Court.

In response, the court says Mr. Zerpa was fleeing allegations of sexual harassment.

Mr. Zerpa had been a crucial ally for Mr. Maduro on the court, writing a key legal opinion in 2016 justifying the President’s decision to strip Congress of its powers.

His ruling socialist party had lost control of the legislature to the Opposition in a landslide vote earlier that year.

The former government is accused of crippling the country.