On February 19, President Nicolás Maduro presented a proposal to reform the Constitution of Venezuela, which has been in force since 1999 and was promoted by former president Hugo Chávez. Maduro stated that the goal is to modernize the Constitution to the fullest and make it more suitable for current times.
Maduro clarified that although the basic structure of the Constitution will be maintained, the intention is to “expand all its norms” and make an update that is progressive. He also emphasized that all the fundamental principles of the Constitution need to be reviewed to be up-to-date with the country’s needs.
A Call to Include the Entire Nation in the Process
The president invited the commission in charge of this reform, chaired by Attorney General Tarek William Saab, to carry out the process with creativity and intelligence. He also called for the participation of the entire Venezuelan nation, as he believes that many citizens are motivated to get involved in this reform process.
Maduro mentioned that the goal of the reform is to expand political rights and improve the direct democracy of the people. He also proposed to review the economic aspect of the Constitution, as he believes this part was “insufficient” in the current text.
Deadlines and Composition of the Reform Commission
Last Saturday, Maduro asked the commission to present a final project in the next 90 days. This work will be based on a first draft that already has 80 articles developed, although they have not been made public.
The reform commission is made up of key figures from the government, such as Cilia Flores, Delcy Rodríguez, Hermann Escarrá, Jorge Rodríguez, Caryslia Rodríguez, Elvis Amoroso, and Vladimir Padrino López, among others.
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