MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Maduro wants to reform Venezuela's Constitution

“Venezuela will not tolerate in any way any fascist threat,” Maduro stressed

Venezuela's Bolivarian ruler Nicolás Maduro is pushing for a Constitutional reform, which, among other changes, would provide for harsher penalties against individuals threatening the government's authority, it was reported this weekend in Caracas. The current Carta Magna dates back to 1999 when it was promoted by the late Hugo Chávez (1999-2013), who had it modified in 2009 to be reelected indefinitely.

Attorney General Tarek William Saab chairs a committee penning the new document which must be ready within 90 days to be submitted to a referendum.

The so-called “expansion and improvement of participatory democracy” includes social, communal, and popular power as a new level of government, in addition to the current national, regional, and municipal levels.

Maduro also suggested transforming governorships and mayors' offices “from the root, thus reshaping the allocation of commune resources.

The draft reform includes a stiffening of penalties against any ”threat“ to the Government: ”Venezuela will not tolerate in any way any fascist threat,“ Maduro stressed after his victory in the July 28, 2024, elections was questioned by opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia, María Corina Machado. and half the Western world.

Maduro insisted that his country was a victim of ”all forms of conspiracy“ and assured that those responsible must be punished in a ”more draconian” manner.

The reform also explained that the constitutional update seeks to adapt to global changes.

Also making up the committee drafting the new Constitution are Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, National Electoral Council (CNE) Chief Elvis Amoroso, National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López, and First Lady Cilia Flores.

At least 80 articles of the current Fundamental Law are to be reviewed, it was also explained. The initiative would seek to shield Maduro's lifelong permanence in power and is reminiscent of the Constituent Assembly Maduro convened in 2017 to remove opposition leaders from positions of power but did not change the Constitution in the end.