|  ElCiudadano.cl |  Noticias

El Ciudadano

Original article: Derechos humanos al centro: Venezuela abre consulta popular para reformar su justicia penal

Human Rights at the Forefront: Venezuela Launches Public Consultation to Reform Its Criminal Justice System

This week, the National Assembly of Venezuela approved the initiation of a national consultation aimed at a comprehensive reform of the criminal justice system, placing human rights at the center of the discussion. This decision, made during an ordinary session, aims to simplify procedural steps, eliminate delays in case processing, and consolidate a more agile, transparent, and humane legal framework.

Consequently, the constitutional mechanism of the National Consultation for Criminal Justice Reform will immediately roll out its actions across the country’s 23 states. Legislative committees will coordinate ongoing working groups to ensure every region is included in the dialogue.

The initiative will not remain confined to official offices, but will reach out to neighborhoods, universities, and courts to gather grassroots proposals.

This participatory process invites communes, law schools from public and private universities, human rights committees, as well as judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and social movements. Members of the Interior Policy Committee emphasized that this is not a reform crafted behind closed doors, but rather a collective construction that will review the Organic Criminal Procedure Code and related laws to humanize the treatment of victims and defendants.

Key priorities to be addressed will include the digitization of judicial files to expedite response times, comprehensive optimization of the penitentiary system, and strengthening alternative conflict resolution mechanisms. Additionally, discussions will include a reassessment of penalties for minor offenses to alleviate court congestion and redirect resources toward more serious cases.

«The support from this Parliament for the National Consultation signifies a commitment to transparency and human rights. We will listen to the voice of the people and experts to build an efficient, swift, and truly just criminal justice system that moves beyond old bureaucratic vices,» was stated during the plenary discussion, as reported by Radio YVKE Mundial.

Consultation Aims to Elevate the Venezuelan Penal System to the Highest Human Rights Standards

During the inauguration of this so-called Grand National Consultation, the acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez described the process as a strategic step towards deepening effective state protection and elevating the Venezuelan penal system to the highest international standards of human rights.

In her speech, she reflected on her own youth marked by impunity during the Fourth Republic and the murder of her father, revolutionary leader Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, who was tortured in the cells of the former political police.

The president acknowledged that while the Bolivarian Revolution dismantled old practices where verdicts were negotiated with suitcases of cash, deficiencies still persist in meeting the moral demands of the people.

She emphasized that through this territorial outreach, the Venezuelan state reaffirms its commitment to consolidating a swift, efficient, and sovereign criminal justice system that responds to the peace and security needs of the entire population.

*Featured image: Extra News Mundo.

La entrada Human Rights at the Forefront: Venezuela Launches Public Consultation to Reform Its Criminal Justice System se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.