CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuela's National Assembly has approved a plan for President Hugo Chavez not to attend his scheduled inauguration this Thursday and to instead be sworn in later on before the Supreme Court.

Chavez's congressional allies hold a majority of seats in the National Assembly, and they backed the proposal with a show of hands.

The country's opposition lawmakers on Tuesday strongly criticized the action to put off the swearing-in. They argued it violates the country's constitution.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)