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constituteproject.org

Venezuela (Bolivarian Republicof)'s Constitution of 1999 with
Amendments through 2009

English Translation of amended Articles 160, 162, 174, 192, and 230 © 2012 by William S. Hein & Co., Inc. All
rights reserved.
This complete constitution has been generated from excerpts of texts from the repository of the Comparative
Constitutions Project, and distributed on constituteproject.org.

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Table of contents
Preamble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
TITLE I. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Article 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Article 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Article 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Article 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Article 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Article 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Article 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Article 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Article 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

TITLE II. GEOGRAPHICAL SPACES AND POLITICAL DIVISION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter I. Territory and Other Geographical Spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Chapter II. Political Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

TITLE III. DUTIES, HUMAN RIGHTS AND GUARANTEES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter I. General Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter II. Nationality and Citizenship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Chapter III. Civil Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Chapter IV. Political Rights and Public Referenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Chapter V. Social and Family Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Chapter VI. Culture and Educational Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Chapter VII. Economic Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Chapter VIII. Rights of Native People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Chapter IX. Environmental Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Chapter X. Duties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

TITLE IV. PUBLIC POWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Chapter I. Fundamental Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Chapter II. Competence of National Public Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Chapter III. State Public Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Chapter IV. Municipal Public Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Chapter V. The Federal Council on Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

TITLE V. ORGANIZATION OF NATIONAL PUBLIC AUTHORITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Chapter I. National Legislative Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Chapter II. National Executive Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Chapter III. Judicial Power and Justice System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Chapter IV. Citizen Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Chapter V. Electoral Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

TITLE VI. SOCIOECONOMIC SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Chapter I. Socioeconomic Order and the Function of the State in the Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Chapter II. Tax and Monetary System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

TITLE VII. NATIONAL SECURITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Chapter I. General Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Chapter II. Principles of National Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Chapter III. The National Armed Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Chapter IV. Civilian Security Organs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

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TITLE VIII. PROTECTION OF THE CONSTITUTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Chapter I. Guarantee of the Constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Chapter II. States of Exception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

TITLE IX. CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Chapter I. Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Chapter II. Constitutional Reform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Chapter III. National Constituent Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

SOLE DEROGATION PROVISION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
TEMPORARY PROVISIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Second . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Third . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Fourth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Fifth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Sixth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Seventh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Eighth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Ninth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Tenth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Eleventh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Twelfth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Thirteenth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Fourteenth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Fifteenth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Sixteenth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Seventeenth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Eighteenth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Final Provision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

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Amendment translated by Jefri J. Ruchti

Reference to fraternity/solidarity
Regional group(s)Source of constitutional authority
Motives for writing constitution
God or other deities
Preamble
Right to self determination
Political theorists/figures

Preamble
The people of Venezuela, exercising their powers of creation and invoking the protectionof God, the historic example of our Liberator Simon Bolivar and the heroism and sacrificeof our aboriginal ancestors and the forerunners and founders of a free and sovereign
nation; to the supreme end of reshaping the Republic to establish a democratic,
participatory and self-reliant, multiethnic and multicultural society in a just, federal anddecentralized State that embodies the values of freedom, independence, peace,solidarity, the common good, the nation’s territorial integrity, comity and the rule of law
for this and future generations; guarantees the right to life, work, learning, education,social justice and equality, without discrimination or subordination of any kind; promotes
peaceful cooperation among nations and furthers and strengthens Latin American
integration in accordance with the principle of nonintervention and national selfdetermination of the people, the universal and indivisible guarantee of human rights, thedemocratization of imitational society, nuclear disarmament, ecological balance andenvironmental resources as the common and inalienable heritage of humanity;
exercising their innate power through their representatives comprising the National
Constituent Assembly, by their freely cast vote and in a democratic Referendum, hereby
ordain the following: CONSTITUTION

TITLE I. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLESArticle 1
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is irrevocably free and independent, basing its
moral property and values of freedom, equality, justice and international peace on thedoctrine of Simon Bolivar, the Liberator.
Independence, liberty, sovereignty, immunity, territorial integrity and national selfdetermination are unrenounceable rights of the Nation.
Type of government envisioned
Reference to fraternity/solidarity

Article 2
Venezuela constitutes itself as a Democratic and Social State of Law and Justice, whichholds as superior values of its legal order and actions those of life, liberty, justice,equality, solidarity, democracy, social responsibility and, in general, the preeminence ofhuman rights, ethics and political pluralism.

Human dignity

Article 3
The essential purposes of the State are the protection and development of the individual
and respect for the dignity of the individual, the democratic exercise of the will of thepeople, the building of a just and peace loving society, the furtherance of the prosperity
and welfare of the people and the guaranteeing of the Fulfillment of the principles, rights
and duties established in this Constitution.
Education and work are the fundamental processes for guaranteeing these purposes.

Reference to fraternity/solidarity

Article 4
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a decentralized Federal State on the terms set
forth in this Constitution, governed by the principles of territorial integrity, cooperation,solidarity, attendance and shared responsibility.

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Article 5
Sovereignty resides untransferable in the people, who exercise it directly in the manner
provided for in this Constitution and in the law, and indirectly, by suffrage, through theorgans exercising Public Power.
The organs of the State emanate from and are subject to the sovereignty of the people.
Type of government envisioned

Article 6
The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and of the political organs
comprising the same, is and shall always be democratic, participatory, elective,
decentralized, alternative, responsible and pluralist, with revocable mandates.

Duty to obey the constitution

Article 7
The Constitution is the supreme law and foundation of the legal order. All persons andorgans exercising Public Power are subject to this Constitution.

National flag
National anthem

Article 8
The national flag with its yellow, blue and red stripes, the National Anthem “Gloria albravo pueblo” (Glory to the Brave People), and the coat of arms of the Republic are thesymbols of the native land.
Law shall regulate their characteristics, meaning and use.

Official or national languages
Protection of language use

Article 9
Spanish is the official language. The use of native languages also has official status fornative peoples, and must be respected throughout the territory of the Republic, as
constituting part of the cultural heritage of the Nation and humanity.

TITLE II. GEOGRAPHICAL SPACES AND
POLITICAL DIVISION
Chapter I. Territory and Other Geographical Spaces
Article 10
The territory and other geographical spaces of the Republic are those which belonged to
the Captaincy-General of Venezuela before the political transformation begun on April
19, 1810, as amended by virtue of the treaties and arbitration awards which have notbeen vitiated with nullity.

Article 11
The full sovereignty of the Republic is exercised on the continental, and insular spaces,lake and river spaces, territorial sea, historic, vital and inland sea areas, and those lying
within such straight baselines as have been adopted or may come to be adopted by the
Republic; seabed and under the seabed of the aforementioned; the continental, insularand maritime air space and the resources located within the aforementioned spaces,
including genetic resources, migratory species, derived products and any intangible
components that may be present within the aforementioned spaces because of naturalcauses.
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The insular space of the Republic includes the Archipelago of Los Monjes, Las Aves, Los
Roques, La Orchila, La Tortuga, La Blanquilla, Los Hermanos, islands of Margarita,
Cubagua and Coche, Los Frailes, La Sola Island, Los Testigos Archipelago, Patos Island
and Aves Island, as well as the islands, islets, keys and banks located or coming in the
future to emerge from the territorial sea, that covering the continental shelf or thatlying within the limits of the exclusive economic zone.
As to the water spaces consisting of the contiguous maritime zone, the continental
sheaf and the exclusive economic zone, the Republic exercises exclusive rights ofsovereignty and jurisdiction on such terms, to such extent and subject to such conditions
as may be determined by public international law and national law.
The Republic has rights in outer space and in those areas which are or may be theCommon Property of Humanity, on such terms, to such extent and subject to suchconditions as may be determined by public international agreements and by the national
legislation.
Ownership of natural resources

Article 12
Mineral and hydrocarbon deposits of any nature that exist within the territory of thenation, beneath the territorial sea bed, within the exclusive economic zone and on thecontinental shelf, are the property of the Republic, are of public domain, and therefore
inalienable and not transferable. The seacoasts are public domain property.

Article 13
The territory shall never be assigned, transferred, leased or in any manner whatsoever
conveyed, even temporarily or partially, to foreign States or other international law
subjects.
The geographical space of Venezuela is an area of peace. No foreign military bases or
facilities having purposes that are in any way military shall be established within such
space by any power or coalition of powers.
Foreign States or other international law subjects shall be permitted to acquire real
property only for the quarters of their diplomatic or consular delegations, within sucharea as may be determined and subject to guarantees of reciprocity, with such
limitations as may be established by law. In all such cases, national sovereignty shallremain intact.
There shall be no conveyance of title to vacant land existing within the federal
dependencies and on islands in rivers and lakes, and the right to use the same shall be
granted only in a manner that does not involve, directly or indirectly, the transfer of title
to the land.
Colonies
Accession of territory

Article 14
The law shall establish a special legal regime for those territories which, by the freely
adopted decision of their inhabitants and with the approval of the National Assembly,
come to be incorporated into the territory of the Republic.

Article 15
The State is responsible for establishing an overall policy in land, insular and maritime
border areas, preserving the territorial integrity, sovereignty, security, defense, national
identity, diversity and environment in accordance with cultural, economic and social
development and integration. Taking into account the inherent nature of each borderregion through special financial allocations, an Organic Law on Borders shall determine
the obligations and objectives comprising this responsibility.

Chapter II. Political Division
Subsidiary unit government

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Article 16
For purposes of the political organization of the Republic, the territory of the nation isdivided into those of the States, the Capital District, federal dependencies and federal
territories. The territory is organized into Municipalities.
The political division of the territory shall be regulated by an organic law which shallguarantee municipal autonomy and administrative/political decentralization. Such law
may provide for the creation of federal territorial in certain areas within the States, thetaking effect of which shall be subject to the holding of a referendum to approve thesame in the organ concerned. By special law, a federal territory may be given the statusof a State; being allocated part or all of the territorial area concerned.

Article 17Federal dependencies are the maritime islands which are not incorporated into theterritory of a State, as well as any island that may form or appear in the territorial sea orthat covering the continental sheaf. Their regime and administration shall be provided
by law.
National capital

Article 18
The city of Caracas is the capital of the Republic and the seat of the organs of National
Power.
The provisions of this article shall not prevent the exercise of National Power elsewherein the Republic.
A special law shall establish the territorial and political unit of the city of Caracas,
incorporating into a two-tier system of municipal government the Municipalities of theCapital District and those of the State of Miranda. Such law shall provide for theorganization, government, administration, competency as well as resources of the city,with a view to its harmonious overall development. In any case the law shall guarantee
the democratic and participative character of its government.

TITLE III. DUTIES, HUMAN RIGHTS AND
GUARANTEES
Chapter I. General Provisions
International law

Article 19
The State shall guarantee to every individual, in accordance with the progressive
principle and without discrimination of any kind, no renounceable, indivisible andinterdependent enjoyment and exercise of human rights. Respect for and theguaranteeing of these rights is obligatory for the organs of Public Power, in accordancewith the Constitution, the human rights treaties signed and ratified by the Republic andany laws developing the same.

Right to development of personality

Article 20
Everyone has the right to the free development of his or her own personality, subject
only to the limitations deriving from the rights of others and public and social order.

General guarantee of equality

Article 21
All persons are equal before the law, and, consequently:

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Equality regardless of race
Equality regardless of social status
Equality regardless of gender
Equality regardless of creed or belief
Binding effect of const rights

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1. No discrimination based on race, sex, creed or social standing shall be permitted,
nor, in general, any discrimination with the intent or effect of nullifying or
encroaching upon the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on equal terms, of therights and liberties of every individual.
2. The law shall guarantee legal and administrative conditions such as to makeequality before the law real and effective manner; shall adopt affirmative
measures for the benefit of any group that is discriminated against, marginalized
or vulnerable; shall protect in particular those persons who, because of any of theaforementioned circumstances, are in a manifestly weak position; and shallpunish those who abuse or mistreat such persons.
3. People will only be officially addressed as Citizens, except for diplomatic forms.
4. No titles of nobility or hereditary distinctions shall be recognized.

International law

Article 22
The recitation of rights and guarantees contained in this Constitution and ininternational instruments concerning human rights are not to be understood as negatingothers inherent to individuals, not expressly mentioned in such recitation. The absenceof a law regulating these rights shall not adversely affect the exercise thereof.

International law
Legal status of treaties

Article 23
The treaties, pacts and conventions relating human rights which have been executedand ratified by Venezuela have a constitutional rank, and prevail over internal
legislation, insofar as they contain provisions concerning the enjoyment and exercise ofsuch rights that are more favorable than those established by this Constitution and thelaws of the Republic, and shall be immediately and directly applied by the courts andother organs of the Public Power.

Protection from ex post facto laws

Article 24
No legislative provision shall have retroactive effect, except where it imposes a lesser
penalty. Procedural laws shall apply from the moment they go into effect, even toproceedings already in progress; however, in criminal proceedings, evidence alreadyadmitted shall be weighed in accordance with the laws that were in effect when theevidence was admitted, insofar as this benefits the defendant.
When there are doubts as to the rule of law that is to be applied, the most beneficial tothe defendant will prevail.

Constitutionality of legislation

Article 25
Any act on the part of the Public Power that violates or encroaches upon the rights
guaranteed by this Constitution and by law is null and void, and the public employeesordering or implementing the same shall incur criminal, civil and administrative liability,
as applicable in each case, with no defense on grounds of having followed the orders of asuperior.

Article 26
Everyone has the right to access the organs comprising the justice system for the
purpose of enforcing his or her rights and interests, including those of a collective or
diffuse nature to the effective protection of the aforementioned and to obtain thecorresponding prompt decision.
The State guarantees justice that is free of charge, accessible, impartial, suitable,transparent, autonomous, independent, responsible, equitable and expeditious, without
undue delays, superfluous formalities or useless reinstating.
Right to amparo

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Article 27
Everyone has the right to be protected by the courts in the enjoyment and exercise of
constitutional rights and guarantees, including even those inherent individual rights not
expressly mentioned in this Constitution or in international instruments concerning
human rights.
Proceedings on a claim for constitutional protection shall be oral, public, brief, free ofcharge and unencumbered by formalities, and the competent judge shall have the power
to restore immediately the legal situation infringed upon or the closest possible
equivalent thereto. All time shall be available for the holding of such proceedings, andthe court shall give constitutional claims priority over any other matters.
The action for the protection of liberty or safety, may be exercised by any person andthe physical custody of the person of the detainee shall be transferred immediately tothe court, without delay.
The exercise of this right shall not be affected in any way by the declaration of a state of
exception or restriction of constitutional guarantees.
Right to information

Article 28
Anyone has the right of access to the information and data concerning him or her or hisor her goods which are contained in official or private records, with such exceptions as
may be established by law, as well as what use is being made of the same and the
purpose thereof, and to petition the court of competent competence for the updating,correction or destruction of any records that are erroneous or unlawfully affect thepetitioner’s right. He or she may, as well, access documents of any nature containing
information of interest to communities or group of persons. The foregoing is without
prejudice to the confidentiality of sources from which information is received byjournalist, or secrecy in other professions as may be determined by law.

Article 29
The State is obliged to investigate and legally punish offenses against human rights
committed by its authorities.
Actions to punish the offense of violating humanity rights, serious violations of humanrights and war crimes shall not be subject to statute of limitation. Human rights
violations and the offense of violating humanity rights shall be investigated andadjudicated by the courts of ordinary competence. These offenses are excluded fromany benefit that might render the offenders immune from punishment, including pardonsand amnesty.
Protection of victim's rights

Article 30
The State has the obligation to make full reparations to the victims of human rights
violations for which it may be held responsible, and to the legal successors to such
victims, including payment of damages.
The State shall adopt the necessary legislative measures and measures of other nature
to implement the reparations and damage compensation provided for under this article.
The State shall protect the victims of ordinary crimes and endeavor to make the guilty
parties provide reparations for the inflicted damages.

International law

Article 31
Everyone has the right, on the terms established by the human rights treaties, pacts
and conventions ratified by the Republic, to address petitions and complaints to theintentional organs created for such purpose, in order to ask for protection of his or her
human rights.
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decisions emanating from international organs as provided for under this article.

Chapter II. Nationality and Citizenship
Section One. Nationality
Requirements for birthright citizenship

Article 32
Are Venezuelans by birth:
1. Any person who was born within the territory of the Republic.
2. Any person who was born in a foreign territory, and is the child of a father andmother who are both Venezuelans by birth.
3. Any person who was born in a foreign territory, and is the child of a father or amother, who is Venezuelan by birth, provided they have established residence
within the territory of the Republic or declared their intention to obtain the
Venezuelan nationality.
4. Any person who was born in a foreign territory, and is the child of a father or amother who is Venezuelan by naturalization, provided that prior to reaching theage of 18, they establish their residence within the territory of the Republic, andbefore reaching the age of 25 declare their intention to obtain the Venezuelan
nationality.

Requirements for naturalization

Article 33
Are considered Venezuelans by naturalization:
1. Foreign nationals who obtain a naturalization letter. In order to do so, they musthave at least ten years of uninterrupted residence immediately preceding theapplication date.
The period of residence shall be reduced to five years in the case of foreign
nationals whose original nationality is that of Spain, Portugal, Italy, or a Latin
American or Caribbean country.
2. Foreign nationals who marry a Venezuelan, upon declaring their wish to adopt
the Venezuelan nationality, which may be done at least five years after the dateof marriage.
3. Minors of foreign nationality, on the date of the naturalization of one of his/herparent who exercises parental authority, provided that such minor declares his or
her intention of adopting the Venezuelan nationality before reaching the age of21, and has resided in Venezuela without interruption throughout the five-year
period preceding such declaration.

Article 34
The Venezuelan nationality is not lost upon electing or acquiring another nationality.
Conditions for revoking citizenship

Article 35
Venezuelans by birth cannot be deprived of their nationality. The Venezuelan nationality
by naturalization can be revoked only by a judgment handed down by a court inaccordance with law.

Right to renounce citizenship

Article 36
Venezuelan nationality may be renounced. A person who renounces the Venezuelan
nationality by birth may regain such nationality if he or she establishes a residence
within the territory of the Republic for a period of at least two years, and expresses theintention of regaining the Venezuelan nationality. Naturalized Venezuelans who

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renounce the Venezuelan nationality may regain it by again meeting the requirements
prescribed under article 33 of this Constitution.
International law

Article 37
The State shall promote the celebration of international treaties related to nationality,
especially with the bordering countries and those indicated in item 2 of Article 33 of thisConstitution.

Right to renounce citizenship
Requirements for naturalization
Conditions for revoking citizenship

Article 38
The substantive and procedural rules relating to the acquisition, election, renunciation
and recovery of the Venezuelan nationality, as well as the revocation and withdrawal ofnaturalization, shall be determined by law, in compliance with the foregoing provisions.

Section Two. Citizenship
Restrictions on voting

Article 39
Venezuelans who are not subject to political disablement or civil interdiction, and meet
the age requirements provided for in this Constitution, can exercise citizenship andtherefore are entitled to political rights and duties in accordance to this Constitution.

Article 40
Political rights are reserved to those who are Venezuelans, with the exceptions
established in this Constitution.
Naturalized Venezuelans who have entered the country prior to reaching the age ofseven years and have resided permanently in Venezuela until reaching legal age shallenjoy the same rights as Venezuelans by birth.

Article 41
Only Venezuelans by birth who have no other nationality shall be permitted to hold theoffices of President of the Republic, Executive Vice President, Chairman and ViceChairman of the National Assembly, Justices of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice,
Chairman of the National Board of Elections, Attorney General of the Republic,
Comptroller General of the Republic, General Prosecutor of the Republic, People
Defender, Ministers with responsibilities relating to national security, finance, energy
and mining or education; Governors and Mayors of border States and Municipalities andthose contemplated under the Organic Law on the National Armed Forces.
In order to hold the position of member of the National Assembly, Minister or Governors
and Mayors of non-border States and Municipalities, naturalized Venezuelans must be
domiciled in Venezuela with at least fifteen years of permanent residence, as well as
meeting the capability requirements provided for by law.
Conditions for revoking citizenship
Right to renounce citizenship

Article 42
Anyone who loses or renounces to nationality loses citizenship. The exercise of
citizenship or any political rights can be suspended only by final judicial decision in thecases provided by law.

Chapter III. Civil Rights
Right to life
Inalienable rights
Prohibition of capital punishment

Article 43
The right to life is inviolable. No law shall provide for the death penalty and no authority
shall apply the same. The State shall protect the life of persons who are deprived ofliberty, serving in the armed forces or civilian services, or otherwise subject to its
authority.

Inalienable rights

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Article 44
Personal liberty is inviolable, therefore:
Right to pre-trial release

1. No person shall be arrested or detained except by virtue of a court order, unlesssuch person is caught in fraganti. In the latter case, such person must be brought
before a judge within forty-eight hours of his or her arrest. He or she shall remain
free during trial, except for reasons determined by law and assessed by the judge
on a case-by case basis.
The bail as required by law for the release of a detainee shall not be subject to
tax of any kind.

Right to counsel
Prison registry

2. Any person under arrest has the right to communicate immediately withmembers of his or her family, an attorney or any other person in whom he or she
reposes trust, and such persons in turn have the right to be informed where thedetainee is being held, to be notified immediately of the reasons for the arrest
and to have a written record inserted into the case file concerning the physical ormental condition of the detainee, either by himself or herself, or with the aid of
specialists. The competent authorities shall keep a public record of every arrest
made, including the identity of the person arrested, the place, time,
circumstances and the officers who made the arrest.
In the case of the arrest of foreign nationals, (male or female), applicableprovisions of international treaties concerning consular notification shall also be
observed.
3. The penalty shall not extend beyond the person of the convicted individual. No
one shall be sentenced to perpetual or humiliating penalties. Penalties consistingof deprivation of liberty shall not exceed 30 years.
4. Any authority taking measures involving the deprivation of liberty must identify
himself or herself.
5. No person shall remain under arrest after a release order has been issued by thecompetent authority or such person’s sentence has been served.

Article 45
The public authorities, whether military, civilian or of any other kind, even during a stateof emergency, exception or restriction or guarantees, are prohibited from effecting,permitting or tolerating the forced disappearance of persons. An officer receiving anorder or instruction to carry it out, has the obligation not to obey, and to report the order
or instruction to the competent authorities. The intellectual and physical perpetrators
accomplices and concealers of the crimes of forced disappearance of a person, as well as
any attempt to commit such offense, shall be punished in accordance with law.
Human dignity

Article 46
Everyone is entitled to respect for his or her physical, mental and moral integrity,
therefore:

Prohibition of cruel treatment
Prohibition of torture

1. No person shall be subjected to penalties, tortures, cruelty, inhuman or degrading
treatment. Every victim of torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment
effected or tolerated by agents of the State has the right to rehabilitation.
2. Any person deprived of liberty shall be treated with respect due to the inherent
dignity of the human being.
3. No person shall be subjected without his or her freely given consent to scientificexperiments or medical or laboratory examinations, except when such person’slife is in danger, or in any other circumstances as may be detained by law.
4. Any public official who, by reason of his official position, inflicts mistreatment or
physical or mental suffering on any person or instigates or tolerates suchtreatment, shall be punished in accordance with law.

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Human dignity
Right to privacy
Inalienable rights

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Article 47
A person’s home and any private premise are inviolable. They may not be forcibly
entered except by court order, to prevent the commission of a crime or carry out thedecisions handed down by the courts in accordance with law, respecting human dignity
in all cases.
Any health inspections carried out in accordance with law shall be performed only after
notice from the officials ordering or carrying it out.

Right to privacy

Article 48
The secrecy and inviolability of private communications in all forms are guaranteed. The
same may not be interfered with except by order of a competent court, with observanceof applicable provisions of law and preserving the secrecy of the private issues unrelated
to the pertinent proceedings.

Right to fair trial
Guarantee of due process

Article 49
All judicial and administrative actions shall be subject to due process, therefore:

Regulation of evidence collection
Right to appeal judicial decisions
Right to counsel
Right to examine evidence/witnesses
Inalienable rights

Presumption of innocence in trials
Right to speedy trial
Trial in native language of accused

1. Legal assistance and defense are inviolable rights at all stages and levels during
the investigation and proceeding. Every person has the right to be notified of thecharges for which he or she is being investigated, to have access to the evidence
and to be afforded the necessary time and means to conduct his or her defense.
Any evidence obtained in violation of due process shall be null and void. Any
person declared guilty shall have the right to appeal, except in the cases
established by this Constitution and by the law.
2. Any person shall be presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
3. Every person has the right to be heard in proceedings of any kind, with all due
guarantees and within such reasonable time limit as may be legally detained, by
a competent, independent and impartial court established in advance. Anyone
who does not speak Spanish or is unable to communicate verbally is entitled to
an interpreter.
4. Every person has the right to be judged by his or her natural judges of ordinary or
special competence, with the guarantees established in this Constitution and bylaw. No person shall be put on trial without knowing the identity of the party
judging him or her, nor be adjudged by exceptional courts or commissions createdfor such purpose.

Protection from self-incrimination
Regulation of evidence collection

5. No person shall be required to confess guilt or testify against himself or herself or
his or her spouse or partner, or any other relative within the fourth degree of
consanguinity or the second degree of affinity. A confession shall be valid only if
given without coercion of any kind.

Protection from ex post facto laws

6. No person shall be punished for acts or omissions not defined under preexistinglaws as a crime, offense or infraction.

Prohibition of double jeopardy

7. No person shall be placed on trial based on the same facts for which such person
has been judged previously.

Ultra-vires administrative actions

Freedom of movement

8. Every person shall request from the State the restoration or remediation of alegal situation adversely affected by unwarranted judicial errors, and unjustified
delay or omissions. The foregoing is without prejudice to the right of theindividual to seek to hold the magistrate or judge personally liable, and that of
the State to take action against the same.

Article 50
Everyone shall freely transit by any means throughout the national territory, to change
his or her domicile and residence, to leave and return to the Republic, to move his or her
goods or belongings within the country and to bring his or her goods into or remove
them from the country, subject only to such limitations as may be prescribes by law. In

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cases involving the granting of a concession, the law shall provide for the circumstancesin which an alternate route must be provided. Venezuelans shall enter the country
without need for authorization of any kind.
No act of the Public Power may establish against Venezuelans the penalty ofbanishment from the national territory.
Right of petition

Article 51
Everyone has the right to petition or make representations before any authority or
public official concerning matters within their competence, and to obtain a timely andadequate response. Whoever violates this right shall be punished in accordance withlaw, including the possibility of dismissal from office.

Freedom of association

Article 52
Everyone has the right to assemble for lawful purposes, in accordance with law. The
State is obligated to facilitate the exercise of this right.

Freedom of assembly

Article 53
Everyone has the right to meet publicly or privately, without obtaining permission inadvance, for lawful purposes and without weapons. Meetings in public places may beregulated by law.

Prohibition of slavery

Article 54
No person shall be subjected to slavery or servitude. Traffic of persons, in particular
women, children and adolescents, in any form, shall be subject to the penalties
prescribes by law.

Human dignity

Article 55
Every person has the right to protection by the State, through the citizen safety organs
regulated by law, from situations that affect or constitute a threat, vulnerability or risk
to the physical integrity of individuals, their properties, the enjoyment of rights or theFulfillment of duties.
Participation by citizens in programs for purposes of prevention, citizen safety andemergency management shall be regulated by a special law.
The State’s security corps shall respect the human dignity and rights of all persons. The
use of weapons or toxic substances by police and security officers shall be limited by theprinciples of necessity, convenience, opportunity and proportionality in accordance withlaw.

Article 56
Every person has the right to his own name, to the summates of his father and mother,and to know the identity of the latter. The State guarantees the right to investigatesmaternity and paternity. All persons have the right to be registered free of charge with
the Civil Registry Office after birth, and to obtain public documents constituting
evidence of their biological identity, in accordance with law. Such documents shall notcontain any mention classifying the parental relationship.
Freedom of press
Freedom of expression

Article 57
Everyone has the right to express freely his or her thoughts, ideas or opinions orally, inwriting or by any other form of expression, and to use for such purpose any means ofcommunication and diffusion, and no censorship shall be established. Anyone making useof this right assumes full responsibility for everything expressed.
Anonymity, war propaganda, discriminatory messages or those promoting religious
intolerance are not permitted. Censorship restricting the ability of public officials toreport on matters for which they are responsible is prohibited.

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Freedom of press

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Article 58
Communications are free and plural, and involve the duties and responsibilities indicatedby law. Everyone has the right to timely, truthful and impartial information, without
censorship, in accordance with the principles of this Constitution, as well as the right toreply and corrections when they are directly affected by inaccurate or offensive
information. Children and adolescents have the right to receive adequate information
for purposes of their overall development.

Freedom of religion

Article 59
The State guarantees the freedom of cult and religion. All persons have the right toprofess their religious faith and cults, and express their beliefs in private or in public, by
teaching and other practices, provided such beliefs are not contrary to moral, good
customs and public order. The autonomy and independence of religious confessions andchurches is likewise guaranteed, subject only to such limitations as may derive from thisConstitution and the law. Father and Mother are entitled to have their sons anddaughters receive religious education in accordance with their convictions.
No one shall invoke religious beliefs or discipline as a means of evading compliance withlaw or preventing another person from exercising his or her rights.

Right to protect one's reputation
Right to privacy

Article 60
Every person is entitled to protection of his or her honor, private life, intimacy, selfimage, confidentiality and reputation.
The use of electronic information shall be restricted by law in order to guarantee thepersonal and family intimacy and honor of citizens and the full exercise of their rights.

Freedom of opinion/thought/conscience

Article 61
All persons have the right to freedom of conscience, and to express the same except
those practices affecting personality or constituting criminal offense. Objections ofconscience may not be invoked in order to evade compliance with law or prevent othersfrom complying with law or exercising their rights.

Chapter IV. Political Rights and Public Referenda
Section One. Political Rights
Article 62
All citizens have the right to participate freely in public affairs, either directly or throughtheir elected representatives.
The participation of the people in forming, carrying out and controlling the managementof public affairs is the necessary way of achieving the involvement to ensure theircomplete development, both individual and collective. It is the obligation of the Stateand the duty of society to facilitate the generation of optimum conditions for putting this
into practice.
Secret ballot
Claim of universal suffrage

Article 63
Suffrage is a right. lt. shall be exercised through free, universal, direct and secret
elections. The law shall guarantee the principle of personalization of suffrage andproportional representation.

Restrictions on voting

Article 64
All Venezuelans who have reached the age of 18 and are not subject to political
disablement or civil interdiction are qualified to vote.

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In state, municipal and parish elections, the right to vote shall be extended to foreign
nationals who have reached the age of 18 and have resided in Venezuela for more thanten years, subject to the limitations established in this Constitution and by law, andprovided they are not subject to political disablement or civil interdiction.

Article 65
Persons who have been convicted of crimes committed while holding office or otheroffenses against public property, shall be ineligible to run for any office filled by popular
vote, for such period as may be prescribed by law after serving their sentences,
depending on the seriousness of the offense.

Article 66
Voters have the right to obtain from their public representatives, transparent andperiodic accounting for their office, in accordance with the offered program.
Freedom of association
Right to form political parties

Article 67
All citizens have the right of association for political purposes, through democratic
methods of organization, operation and direction. Their governing organs andcandidates for offices filled by popular vote, shall be selected by internal elections withparticipation of their members. No financing of associations for political purposes with
State funds shall be permitted. Matters relating to the financing of and private
contributions to associations for political purposes shall be regulated by law, as shall theoversight mechanisms to guarantee propriety as to the sources and handling of suchfunds.
Law shall regulate as well, political and election campaigns, the duration thereof andspending limits with a view pursuing its democratization.
Citizens, on their own initiative, and associations for political purposes, shall be entitledto participate in the electoral process, putting forward candidates. The financing ofpolitical advertising and election campaigns shall be regulated by law. The authorities ofassociations for political purposes shall not enter into contracts with organs in the public
sector.

Article 68
Citizens have the right to demonstrate, peacefully and without weapons, subject only tosuch requirements as may be established by law.
The use of firearms and toxic substances to control peaceful demonstrations is
prohibited. The activity of police and security corps in maintaining public order shall be
regulated by law.
Protection of stateless persons
Extradition procedure

Article 69
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela recognizes and guarantees the right of asylum andrefuge.
Extradition of Venezuelans is prohibited.

Legislative initiatives by citizens
Referenda

Article 70
Participation and involvement of people in the exercise of their sovereignty in politicalaffairs can be manifested by: voting to fill public offices, referendum, consultation of
public opinion, mandate revocation, legislative, constitutional and constituent initiative,
open forums and meetings of citizens whose decisions shall be binding among others;
and in social and economic affairs: citizen service organs, self-management, comanagement, cooperatives in all forms, including those of a financial nature, savings
funds, community enterprises, and other forms of association guided by the values ofmutual cooperation and solidarity.

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The law shall establish conditions for the effective, functioning of the means ofparticipation provided for under the present article.

Section Two. Popular Referendum
Referenda

Article 71
Matters of special national transcendence may be referred to a consultativereferendum, on the initiative of the President of the Republic, taken at a meeting of the
Cabinet; by resolution of the National Assembly, passed by a majority vote; or at therequest of a number of voters constituting at least 10% of all voters registered on thenational, civil and electoral registry. Matters of special state, municipal and parish
transcendence may also be referred to a consultative referendum. The initiative shall betaken by the Parish Board, the Municipal Council and to the Legislative Council, by thevote of two third of its members; by the Mayor and the Governor or by a number ofvoters constituting at least 10% of the total number of voters registered in thepertinent circumscription.

Head of state removal

Article 72
All magistrates and other offices filled by popular vote are subject to revocation.
Once half of the term of office to which an official has been elected has elapsed, anumber of voters constituting at least 20% of the voters registered in the pertinentcircumscription may extend a petition for the calling of a referendum to revoke suchofficial’s mandate.
When a number of voters equal to or greater than the number of those who elected theofficial vote in favor of revocation, provided that a number of voters equal to or greaterthan 25% of the total number of registered voters have voted in the revocation election,
the official’s mandate shall be deemed revoked, and immediate action shall be taken to
fill the permanent vacancy in accordance with the provided for in this Constitution andby law.
The revocation of the mandate for the collegiate bodies shall be performed inaccordance with the law.
During the term to which the official was elected, only one petition to recall may be filed.

Treaty ratification
Referenda
International law

Article 73
Bills under discussion by the National Assembly shall be submitted to a referendum
when at least two-thirds of the members of the Assembly so decide. If the referendum
ends in an affirmative vote of approval, provided that the 25% of the voters registered
before the Civil and Electoral Registry have concurred to the election, the bill conceded
shall be enacted into law.
Any international agreement, convention or treaty which might compromise thenational sovereignty or transfer authority to supranational organs, may be submitted toa referendum on the initiative of the President of the Republic, taken at a meeting of the
Cabinet by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Assembly or by 15% of the votersregistered on the civil and electoral registry.

Referenda

Article 74
Statutes whose abrogation are requested on the initiative of a number of votersconstituting at least 10% of the voters registered in the civil and electoral registry, or by
the President of the Republic taken at a meeting of the Cabinet, shall be submitted to areferendum for its abrogation in whole or in part.
Decrees with the force of law issued by the President of the Republic, making use of theauthority prescribed under article 236, section 8 of this Constitution, may also be
submitted to an abrogatory referendum, when it is requested by a number of votersconstituting at least 5% of the total number of voters registered in the civil and electoral
registry.

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In order for the abrogatory referendum to be valid, a number of voters constituting atleast 40% of the total number of voters registered in the civil and electoral registry shallbe essential.
It shall not be possible to submit budget laws to an abrogatory referendum, neither
those establishing or modifying taxes, relating to public credit, to amnesty, theprotection, guaranteeing and developing human rights, nor those which ratify
international treaties.
There shall not be more than one abrogatory referendum on the same matter during thesame constitutional term.

Chapter V. Social and Family Rights
Reference to fraternity/solidarity

Article 75
The State shall protect families as a natural association in society, and as thefundamental space for the overall development of persons. Family relationships are
based on equality of rights and duties, solidarity, common effort, mutual understanding
and reciprocal respect among family members. The State guarantees protection to themother, father or other person acting as head of a household.
Children and adolescents have the right to live, be raised and develop in the bosom of
their original family. When this is impossible or contrary to their best interests, theyshall have the right to a substitute family, in accordance with law. Adoption has effects
similar to those of parenthood, and is established in all cases for the benefit of the
adoptee, in accordance with law. International adoption shall be subordinated todomestic adoption.

Right to found a family

Article 76
Motherhood and fatherhood are fully protected, whatever the marital status of themother or father. Couples have the right to decide freely and responsibly how many
children they wish to conceive, and are entitled to access to the information and means
necessary to guarantee the exercise of this right. The State guarantees overall
assistance and protection for motherhood, in general, from the moment of conception,
throughout pregnancy, delivery and the puerperal period, and guarantees full familyplanning services based on ethical and scientific values.
The father and mother have the shared and inescapable obligation of raising, training,educating, maintaining and caring for their children, and the latter have the duty toprovide care when the former are unable to do so by themselves. The necessary andproper measures to guarantee the enforceability of the obligation to provide alimony
shall be established by law.

Provision for matrimonial equality
Regulation of marriage

Article 77
Marriage, which is based on free consent and absolute equality of rights and obligationsof the spouses, is protected. A stable de facto union between a man and a woman whichmeets the requirements established by law shall have the same effects as marriage.

Rights of children
International human rights treaties
International law

Article 78
Children and adolescents are full legal persons and shall be protected by specialized
courts, organs and legislation, which shall respect, guarantee and develop the contentsof this Constitution, the law, the Convention on Children’s Rights and any otherinternational treaty that may have been executed and ratified by the Republic in thisfield. The State, families and society shall guarantee full protection as an absolutepriority, taking into account their best interest in actions and decisions concerning them.
The State shall promote their progressive incorporation into active citizenship, and shallcreate a national guidance system for the overall protection of children and adolescents.

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Article 79
Young people have the right and duty to be active participants in the development
process. The State, with the joint participation of families and society, shall create
opportunities to stimulate their productive transition into adult life, including inparticular training for and access to their first employment, in accordance with law.
Human dignity
State support for the elderly

Article 80
The State shall guarantee senior citizens the full exercise of their rights and guarantees.
The State, with the joint participation of families and society, is obligated to respect their
human dignity, autonomy and to guarantee them full care and social security benefits toimprove and guarantee their quality of life. Pension and retirement benefits granted
through the social security system shall not be less than the urban minimum salary.
Senior citizens shall be guaranteed to have the right to a proper work, if they indicate adesire to work and are capable to.

Human dignity
State support for the disabled

Article 81
Any person with disability or special needs has the right to the full and autonomous
exercise of his or her abilities and to its integration into the family and community. The
State, with the joint participation of families and society, guarantees them respect for
their human dignity, equality of opportunity and satisfactory working conditions, andshall promote their training, education and access to employment appropriate to theircondition, in accordance with law. It is recognized that deaf persons have the right toexpress themselves and communicate through the Venezuelan sign language.

Right to shelter

Article 82
Every person has the right to adequate, safe and comfortable, hygienic housing, withappropriate essential basic services, including a habitat such as to humanize family,
neighborhood and community relations. The progressive meeting of this requirement is
the shared responsibility of citizens and the State in all areas.
The State shall give priority to families, and shall guarantee them, especially those withmeager resources, the possibility of access to social policies and credit for theconstruction, purchase or enlargement of dwellings.

Right to health care

Article 83
Health is a fundamental social right and the responsibility of the State, which shallguarantee it as part of the right to life. The State shall promote and develop policies
oriented toward improving the quality of life, common welfare and access to services. All
persons have the right to protection of health, as well as the duty to participate actively
in the furtherance and protection of the same, and to comply with such health andhygiene measures as may be established by law, and in accordance with international
conventions and treaties signed and ratified by the Republic.

Right to health care
Reference to fraternity/solidarity

Article 84
In order to guarantee the right to health, the State creates, exercises guidance over andadministers a national public health system that crosses sector boundaries, and isdecentralized and participatory in nature, integrated with the social security system andgoverned by the principles of gratuity, universality, completeness, fairness, social
integration and solidarity. The public health system gives priority to promoting healthand preventing disease, guaranteeing prompt treatment and quality rehabilitation.
Public health assets and services are the property of the State and shall not be
privatized. The organized community has the right and duty to participate in the making
of decisions concerning policy planning, implementation and control at public healthinstitutions.

Right to health care

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Article 85
Financing of the public health system is the responsibility of the State, which shallintegrate the revenue resources, mandatory Social Security contributions and any othersources of financing provided for by law. The State guarantees a health budget such as
to make possible the attainment of health policy objectives. In coordination with
universities and research centers, a national professional and technical training policy
and a national industry to produce health care supplies shall be promoted anddeveloped. The State shall regulate both public and private health care institutions.
State support for children
State support for the disabledState support for the elderlyState support for the unemployed

Article 86

Duty to work
Right to work
Right to choose occupation

Article 87

Right to safe work environment

Every employer shall guarantee employees adequate safety, hygienic andenvironmental conditions on the job. The State shall adopt measures and create
institutions such as to make it possible to control and promote these conditions.

Equality regardless of gender

Article 88

All persons are entitled to Social Security as a nonprofit public service to guarantee
health and protection in contingencies of maternity, fatherhood, illness, invalidity,
catastrophic illness, disability, special needs, occupational risks, loss of employment,
unemployment, old age, widowhood, loss of parents, housing, burdens deriving fromfamily life, and any other social welfare circumstances. The State has the obligation andresponsibility of ensuring the efficacy of this right, creating a universal and complete
Social Security system, with joint, unitary, efficient and participatory financing fromdirect and indirect contributions. The lack of ability to contribute shall not be ground for
excluding persons from protection by the system. Social Security financial resources
shall not be used for other purposes. The mandatory assessments paid by employees tocover medical and health care services and other Social Security benefits shall beadministered only for social purposes, under the guidance of the State. Any net
remaining balances of capital allocated to health, education and Social Security shall be
accumulated for distribution and contribution to those services. The Social Security
system shall be ruled by a special organic law.

All persons have the right and duty to work. The State guarantees the adoption of thenecessary measures so that every person shall be able to obtain productive work
providing him or her with a dignified and decorous living and guarantee him or her thefull exercise of this right. It is an objective of the State to promote employment.
Measures tending to guarantee the exercise of the labor rights of self employed persons
shall be adopted by law. Freedom to work shall be subject only to such restrictions as
may be established by law.

The State guarantees the equality and equitable treatment of men and women in theexercise of the right to work. The state recognizes work at home as an economic
activity that creates added value and produces social welfare and wealth. Housewives
are entitled to Social Security in accordance with law.

Article 89
Work is a social fact and shall enjoy the protection of the State. The law shall make thenecessary provisions for improving the material, moral and intellectual conditions ofworkers. In order to fulfill this duty of the State, the following principles are established:
1. No law shall establish provisions that affect the intactness and progressive
nature of labor rights and benefits. In labor relations, reality shall prevail overforms or appearances.
2. Labor rights are unrenounceable; any action, agreement or convention involving
a waiver of or encroachment upon these rights is null and void. Concessions andsettlements are possible only at the end of the employment relationship, in
accordance with the requirements established by law.

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3. When there are doubts concerning application or conflicts among several rules,
or in the interpretation of a particular rule, that most favorable to the worker
shall be applied. The rule applied must be applied in its entirety.
4. Any measure or act on the part of an employer in violation of this Constitution isnull and void, and of no effect.
5. All types of discrimination because of political reasons, age, race, creed, sex or
any other characteristic is prohibited.
Limits on employment of children

Right to rest and leisure

6. Work by adolescents at tasks that may affect their overall development isprohibited. The State shall protect them against any economic and social
exploitation.

Article 90
Working hours shall not exceed eight hours per day or 44 hours per week. Where
permitted by law, night work shall not exceed seven hours per day or 35 hours per
week. No employer shall have the right to require employees to work overtime. An
effort shall be made to reduce working hours progressively in the interest of society andin such sphere as may be determined, and appropriate provisions shall be adopted tomake better use of free time for the benefit of the physical, spiritual and culturaldevelopment of workers.
Workers are entitled to weekly time off and paid vacations on the same terms as fordays actually worked.

Right to reasonable standard of living
Right to just remuneration

Article 91
Every worker has the right to a salary sufficient to enable him or her to live with dignity
and cover basic material, social and intellectual needs for himself or herself and his or
her family. The payment of equal salary for equal work is guaranteed, and the share of
the profits of a business enterprise to which workers are entitled shall be determined.
Salary is not subject to garnishment, and shall be paid periodically and promptly in legal
tender, with the exception of the food allowance, in accordance with law.
The State guarantees workers in both the public and the private sector a vital minimum
salary which shall be adjusted each year, taking as one of the references the cost of abasic market basket. The form and procedure to be followed, shall be established by law.

Article 92
All workers have the right to benefits to compensate them for length of service andprotect them in the event of dismissal. Salary and benefits are labor obligations due andpayable immediately upon accrual. Any delay in payment of the same shall bearinterest, which constitutes a debt certain and shall enjoy the same privileges andguarantees as the principal debt.

Article 93
Stable employment shall be guaranteed by law, with provisions as appropriate torestrict any form of unjustified dismissal. Dismissals contrary to this Constitution are
null and void.

Article 94
The liability of the natural or juridical person for whose benefit services are provided
through an intermediary or contractor shall be determined by law, without prejudice tothe job and severance liability of the latter. The State shall establish, through thecompetent organ, the liability to which employers in general are subject in the event ofsimulation or fraud for the purpose of distorting, disregarding or impeding theapplication of labor legislation.
Right to join trade unions

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Article 95
Workers, without distinction of any kind and without need for authorization in advance,
have the right freely to establish such union organizations as they may deem
appropriate for the optimum protection of their rights and interests, as well as the rightto join or not to join the same, in accordance with law. These organizations are notsubject to administrative dissolution, suspension or intervention. Workers are protectedagainst any act of discrimination or interference contrary to the exercise of this right.
The promoters and the members of the board of directors of the union enjoy immunityfrom dismissal from their employment for the period and on the terms required toenable them to carry out their functions.
For purposes of the exercise of union democracy, the bylaws and regulations of union
organizations, shall provide for the replacement of boards of directors andrepresentatives by universal, direct and secret suffrage. Any union leaders andrepresentatives who abuse the benefits deriving from union freedom for their personal
gain or benefit shall be punished in accordance with law. Boards of directors members ofunion organizations shall be required to file a sworn statement of assets.

Article 96
All employees in both public and the private sector have the right to voluntary collective
bargaining and to enter into collective bargaining agreements, subject only to such
restrictions as may be established by law. The State guarantees this process, and shallestablish appropriate provisions to encourage collective relations and the resolution oflabor conflicts. Collective bargaining agreements cover all workers who are active as of
the time they are signed, and those hired thereafter.
Right to strike

Article 97
All workers in the public and private sector have the right to strike, subject to suchconditions as may be established by law.

Chapter VI. Culture and Educational Rights
International law
Provisions for intellectual property
Right to culture

Article 98

Right to culture

Article 99

Cultural creation is free. This freedom includes the right to invest in, produce anddisseminate the creative, scientific, technical and humanistic work, as well as legal
protection of the author’s rights in his works. The State recognizes and protects
intellectual property rights in scientific, literary and artistic works, inventions,innovations, trade names, patents, trademarks and slogans, in accordance with theconditions and exceptions established by law and the international treaties executedand ratified by the Republic in this field.

Cultural values are the unrenounceable property of the Venezuelan people and afundamental right to be encouraged and guaranteed by the State, efforts being made toprovide the necessary conditions, legal instruments, means and funding. The autonomyof the public administration of culture is recognized, on such terms as may beestablished by law. The State guarantees the protection and preservation, enrichment,
conservation and restoration of the cultural tangible and intangible heritage and thehistoric memories of the nation. The assets constituting the cultural heritage of thenation are inalienable, not subject to distrait or to statute of limitations. Penalties andsanctions for damage caused to these assets shall be provided for by law.

Article 100
The folk cultures comprising the national identity of Venezuela enjoy special attention,with recognition of and respect for intercultural relations under the principle of equalityof cultures. Incentives and inducements shall be provided for by law for persons,institutions and communities which promote, support, develop or finance cultural plans,
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programs and activities within the country and Venezuelan culture abroad. The Stateguarantees cultural workers inclusion in the Social security system to provide them witha dignified life, recognizing the idiosyncrasies of cultural work, in accordance with law.
Television
Reference to art

Article 101
The State guarantees the issuance, receiving and circulation of cultural information. The
communications media have the duty of assisting in the dissemination of the values offolk traditions and the work of artists, writers , composers, motion-picture directors,
scientists and other creators of culture of the country. The television media shall include
subtitles and translation into Venezuelan sign language for persons with hearing
problems. The terms and modalities of these obligations, shall be established by law.

Free education
Compulsory education
Right to academic freedom
Right to development of personality

Article 102

Compulsory education
Access to higher education
Free education
International organizations

Article 103

Education is a human right and a fundamental social duty; it is democratic, free of charge
and obligatory. The State assumes responsibility for it as an irrevocable function of thegreatest interest, at all levels and in all modes, as an instrument of scientific, humanistic
and technical knowledge at the service of society. Education, is a public service, and isgrounded on the respect for all currents of thought, to the end of developing the creative
potential of every human being and the full exercise of his or her personality in a
democratic society based on the work ethic value and on active, conscious and joint
participation in the processes of social transformation embodied in the values which arepart of the national identity, and with a Latin American and universal vision. The State,with the participation of families and society, promotes the process of civic education inaccordance with the principles contained in this Constitution and in the laws.

Every person has the right to a full, high-quality, ongoing education under conditions andcircumstances of equality, subject only to such limitations as derive from such persons
own aptitudes, vocation and aspirations. Education is obligatory at all levels frommaternal to the diversified secondary level. Education offered at State institutions is
free of charge up to the undergraduate university level. To this end, the State shall makea priority investment in accordance with United Nations recommendations. The State
shall create and sustain institutions and services sufficiently equipped to ensure theadmission process, ongoing education and program completion in the education system.
The law shall guarantee equal attention to persons with special needs or disabilities, andto those who have been deprived of liberty or do not meet the basic conditions foradmission to and continuing enrollment in the education system.
The contributions of private individuals to public education programs at the secondary
and university levels shall be tax deductible in accordance with the pertinent law.

Right to academic freedom

Article 104
Persons of recognized good moral character and proven academic qualifications shall beplaced in charge of education. The State shall encourage them to remain continuously up
to date, and shall guarantee stability in the practice of the teaching profession, whether
in public or private institutions, in accordance with this Constitution and the law, withworking conditions and a standard of living commensurate with the importance of their
mission. Admissions, promotion and continued enrollment in the education system shallbe provided for by law, and shall be responsive to evaluation criteria based on merit, tothe exclusion of any partisan or other nonacademic interference.

Article 105
The professions requiring a degree and the conditions that must be met to practicethem, including, professional organization membership, shall be determined by law.

Article 106
Every natural or juridical person, subject, to demonstration of its ability and provided itmeets at all times the ethical, academic, scientific, financial, infrastructure and any otherrequirements that may be established by law, shall be permitted to found and maintain
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private educational institutions under the strict inspection and vigilance of the State,with the prior approval of the latter.

Article 107
Environmental education is obligatory in the various levels and modes of the education
system, as well as in informal civil education. Spanish, Venezuelan geography andhistory and the principles of the Bolivarian thought shall be compulsory courses at public
and private institutions up to the diversified cycle level.
Television
Radio
State operation of the media

Article 108
The communications media, public and private, shall contribute to civil education. The
State guarantees public radio and television services and library and computer
networks, with a view to permitting universal access to information. Education centers
are to incorporate knowledge and application of new technologies and the resulting
innovations, in accordance with such requirements as may be established by law to thisend.

Article 109
The State shall recognize the autonomy of universities as a principle and status thatallows teachers, students and graduates from its community, to devote themselves tothe search for knowledge through research in the fields of science, humanistic andtechnology, for the spiritual and material benefit of the Nation. Autonomous universities
shall adopt their own rules for their governance and operation and the efficientmanagement of their property, under such control and vigilance as may be establishedby law to this end. Autonomy of universities is established in the planning, organization,
preparation and updating of research, teaching and extension programs. The
inviolability of the university campus is established. Experimental national universities
shall attain their autonomy in accordance with law.
Reference to science
Right to enjoy the benefits of science

Article 110
The State recognizes as being in the public interest science, technology, knowledge,
innovation and the resulting applications, and the necessary information services, thesame being fundamental instruments for the country’s economic, social and politicaldevelopment, as well as for national sovereignty and security. To promote and developthese activities, the State shall allocate sufficient resources and shall create a national
science and technology system in accordance with law. The private sector shallcontribute with resources as well. The State shall guarantee the enforcement of the
ethical and legal principles that are to govern research activities in science, humanism
and technology. The manners and means of fulfilling this guarantee shall be determinedby law.

Article 111
All persons have a right to sports and recreation as activities beneficial to individual andcollective quality of life. The State assumes responsibility for sports and recreation as an
education and public health policy, and guarantees the resources for the furtherance
thereof. Physical education and sports play a fundamental role in the overall educationof childhood and adolescents. Instruction in the same is obligatory at all levels of public
and private education up to the diversified cycle, with such exceptions as may beestablished by law. The State guarantees full attention to athletes without
discrimination of any kind, as well as support for high-level competitive sports andevaluation and regulation of sports organizations in both the public and the private
sector, in accordance with law.
Incentives and inducements shall be established, for the persons, institutions andcommunities that promote athletes and develop or finance sports activities, plans andprograms in the country.

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Chapter VII. Economic Rights
Right to establish a business

Article 112
All persons may devote themselves freely to the economic activity of their choice,subject only to the limitations provided for in this Constitution and those established bylaw for reasons of human development, security, health, environmental protection orother reasons in the social interest. The State shall promote private initiative,
guaranteeing the creation and fair distribution of wealth, as well as the production of
goods and services that meet the needs of the populace, freedom of work, enterprise,commerce, industry, without prejudice to the power of the State to promulgate
measures to plan, rationalize and regulate the economy and promote the overall
development of the country.

Protection of consumers
State operation of the media
Right to competitive marketplace

Article 113

Ownership of natural resources

In the case of the exploitation of natural resources which are the property of the Nationor the providing of services of a public nature, on an exclusive basis or otherwise, theState shall grant concessions for a certain period, in all cases ensuring the existence ofadequate consideration or compensation to serve the public interest.

Monopolies shall not be permitted. Any act, activity, conduct or agreement of private
individuals which is intended to establish a monopoly or which leads by reason of its
actual effects to the existence of a monopoly, regardless of the intentions of the persons
involved, and whatever the form it actually takes, is hereby declared contrary to thefundamental principles of this Constitution. Also contrary to such principles is abuse of aposition of dominance which a private individual, a group of individuals or a businessenterprise or group of enterprises acquires or has acquired in a given market of goods orservices, regardless of what factors caused such position of dominance, as well as in theevent of a concentration of demand. In all of the cases indicated, the State shall be
required to adopt such measures as may be necessary to prevent the harmful andrestrictive effects of monopoly, abuse of a position of dominance and a concentration ofdemand, with the purpose of protecting consumers and producers and ensuring theexistence of genuine competitive conditions in the economy.

Article 114
Economic crime, speculation, hoarding, usury, the formation of cartels and other related
offenses, shall be punished severely in accordance with law.
Protection from expropriation
Right to transfer property
Right to own property

Article 115

Drugs, alcohol, and illegal substances

Article 116

The right of property is guaranteed. Every person has the right to the use, enjoyment,
usufruct and disposal of his or her goods. Property shall be subject to such contributions,
restrictions and obligations as may be established by law in the service of the public or
general interest. Only for reasons of public benefit or social interest by final judgment,with timely payment of fair compensation, the expropriation of any kind of property may
be declared.

Confiscation of property shall not be ordered and carried out, but in the cases permitted
by this Constitution. As an exceptional measure, the property of natural or legal personsof Venezuelan or foreign nationality who are responsible for crimes committed against
public patrimony may be subject to confiscation, as may be the property of those who
illicitly enriched themselves under cover of Public Power, and property deriving frombusiness, financial or any other activities connected with unlawful trafficking in
psychotropic and narcotic substances.
Protection of consumers

Article 117
All persons shall have the right of access to goods and services of good quality, as wellas to adequate and non-misleading information concerning the contents andVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 1999 (rev. 2009)

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characteristics of the products and services they consume, to freedom of choice and tofair and dignified treatment. The mechanisms necessary to guarantee these rights, thestandards of quality and quantity for goods and services, consumer protection
procedures, compensation for damages caused and appropriate penalties for theviolation of these rights shall be established by law.

Article 118
The right of workers and the community to develop associations of social andparticipative nature such as cooperatives, savings funds, mutual funds and other forms
of association is recognized. These associations may develop any kind of economic
activities in accordance with the law. The law shall recognize the specificity of theseorganizations, especially those relating the cooperative, the associated work and thegeneration of collective benefits.
The state shall promote and protect these associations destined to improve the popular
economic alternative.

Chapter VIII. Rights of Native People
Indigenous right to representation
Protection of language use
Right to culture

Article 119
The State recognizes the existence of native peoples and communities, their social,political and economic organization, their cultures, practices and customs, languages andreligions, as well as their habitat and original rights to the lands they ancestrally andtraditionally occupy, and which are necessary to develop and guarantee their way of life.
It shall be the responsibility of the National Executive, with the participation of thenative peoples, to demarcate and guarantee the right to collective ownership of theirlands, which shall be inalienable, not subject to the law of limitations or distrait, andnontransferable, in accordance with this Constitution and the law.

Article 120
Exploitation by the State of the natural resources in native habitats shall be carried out
without harming the cultural, social and economic integrity of such habitats, and likewise
subject to prior information and consultation with the native communities concerned.
Profits from such exploitation by the native peoples are subject to the Constitution andthe law.
Right to culture
Indigenous right to representation

Article 121
Native peoples have the right to maintain and develop their ethnical and cultural entity,
world view, values, spirituality and holy places and places of cult. The State shallpromote the appreciation and dissemination of the cultural manifestations of the native
peoples, who have the right to their own education, and an education system of anintercultural and bilingual nature, taking into account their special social and culturalcharacteristics, values and traditions.

Article 122
Native peoples have the right to a full health system that takes into consideration theirpractices and cultures. The State shall recognize their traditional medicine andsupplementary forms of therapy, subject to principles of bioethics.
Reference to fraternity/solidarity
Right to culture
Indigenous right to representation

Article 123
Native peoples have the right to maintain and promote their own economic practices
based on reciprocity, solidarity and exchange; their traditional productive activities andtheir participation in the national economy, and to define their priorities. Native peoples
have the right to professional training services and to participate in the preparation,
implementation and management of specific training programs and technical andfinancial assistance services to strengthen their economic activities within theframework of sustainable local development. The State shall guarantee to workers
belonging to native peoples the enjoyment of the rights granted under labor legislation.

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Article 124
Collective intellectual property rights in the knowledge, technologies and innovations of
native peoples are guaranteed and protected. Any activity relating to genetic resources
and the knowledge associated with the same, shall pursue collective benefits. The
registry of patents on this ancestral knowledge and these resources is prohibited.
Right to culture
Indigenous right to representation

Article 125
Native peoples have the right to participate in politics. The State shall guarantee native
representation in the National Assembly and the deliberating organs of federal and local
entities with a native population, in accordance with law.

Citizenship of indigenous groups

Article 126
Native peoples, as cultures with ancestral roots, are part of the Nation, the State andthe Venezuelan people, which is one, sovereign and indivisible. In accordance with thisConstitution, they have the duty of safeguarding the integrity and sovereignty of thenation.
The term people in this Constitution shall in no way be interpreted with the implication it
is imputed in international law.

Chapter IX. Environmental Rights
Protection of environment

Article 127
It is the right and duty of each generation to protect and maintain the environment for
its own benefit and that of the world of the future. Everyone has the right, individuallyand collectively, to enjoy a safe, healthful and ecologically balanced life and environment.
The State shall protect the environment, biological and genetic diversity, ecologicalprocesses, national parks and natural monuments, and other areas of particular
ecological importance. The genome of a living being shall not be patentable, and the fieldshall be regulated by the law relating to the principles of bioethics.

Right to water

It is a fundamental duty of the State, with the active participation of society, to ensurethat the populace develops in a pollution-free environment in which air, water, soil,
coasts, climate, the ozone layer and living species receive special protection, in
accordance with law.

Protection of environment

Article 128
The State shall develop a zoning policy taking into account ecological, geographic,
demographic, social, cultural, economic and political realities, in accordance with thepremises of sustainable development, including information, consultation andmale/female participation by citizens. An organic law shall develop the principles andcriteria for this zoning.

Protection of environment

Article 129
Any activities capable of generating damage to ecosystems must be preceded byenvironmental and socio-cultural impact studies. The State shall prevent toxic andhazardous waste from entering the country, as well as preventing the manufacture anduse of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. A special law shall regulate the use,
handling, transportation and storage of toxic and hazardous substances.
In contracts into which the Republic enters with natural or juridical persons ofVenezuelan or foreign nationality, or in any permits granted which involve natural
resources, the obligation to preserve the ecological balance, to permit access to, and thetransfer of technology on mutually agreed terms and to restore the environment to its
natural state if the latter is altered, shall be deemed included even if not expressed, onsuch terms as may be established by law.

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Chapter X. Duties
Article 130
Venezuelans have the duty to honor and defend their native land symbols and culturalvalues and to guard and protect the sovereignty, nationhood, territorial integrity, self
determination and interests of the nation.
Duty to obey the constitution

Article 131
Everyone has the duty to comply with and obey this Constitution and the laws and otherofficial acts promulgated by the organs of Public Power.

Article 132
Everyone has a duty to fulfill his or her social responsibilities and participate together inthe political, civic and community life of the country, promoting and protecting humanrights as the foundation of democratic coexistence and social peace.
Duty to pay taxes

Article 133
Everyone has the duty to contribute toward public expenditures by paying such taxes,
assessments and contributions as may be established by law.

Duty to serve in the military

Article 134
Everyone, in accordance with law, has the duty to perform such civilian or military
service as may be necessary for the defense, preservation and development of thecountry, or to deal with situations involving a public calamity. No one shall be subjected
to forcible recruitment.
Everyone has the duty of rendering its services in the electoral functions assigned tothem by law.

Article 135
The obligations incumbent upon the State in accordance with this Constitution and thelaw, in Fulfillment of the States commitments to the general welfare of society, do notpreclude the obligations which, by virtue of solidarity, social responsibility andhumanitarian assistance, are incumbent upon private individuals according to theirabilities.
Appropriate provisions shall be enacted by law to compel the fulfillment of theseobligations in those cases in which such compulsion is necessary. Those aspiring topractice any profession have a duty to perform community service for such period, insuch place and on such terms as may be provided for by law.

TITLE IV. PUBLIC POWER
Chapter I. Fundamental Provisions
Section One. General Provisions
Article 136
Public Power is distributed among Municipal Power, that of the States Power andNational Power. National Public Power is divided into Legislative, Executive, Judicial,
Citizen and Electoral.

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Each of the branches of Public Power has its own functions, but the organs charged with
exercising the same shall cooperate with one another in attaining the ends of the State.

Article 137
The Constitution and the law shall define the authorities of the organs, which exercise
Public Power, and the activities carried on by such organs shall be subject to the same.

Article 138
An usurped authority is of no effect, and its acts are null and void.

Article 139
The exercise of Public Power gives rise to individual liability for abuse or misapplicationof power, or for violation of this Constitution or the law.

Article 140
The State shall be financially liable for any damages suffered by private individuals toany of their property or rights, provided the harm is imputable to the functioning of
Public Administration.

Section Two. Public Administration
Article 141
Public Administration is at the service of the citizen and is based on the principles ofhonesty, participation, expeditiousness, efficacy, efficiency, transparency, accountability
and responsibility in the performance of public functions, being fully subject to the law
and to the right.

Article 142
Autonomous institutions can be created only by law. Such institutions, as well as public
interests in foundations or organs of any nature, shall be subject to State Control in suchform as may be established by law.

Article 143
Citizens have the right to be informed by Public Administration, in a timely and truthfulmanner, of the status of proceedings in which they have a direct interest, and to beapprised of any final decisions adopted in the matter. Likewise, they have access toadministrative files and records, without prejudice to the limits acceptable in a
democratic society in matters relating to internal and external security, criminal,
investigation and the intimacy of private life, in accordance with law regulating thematter of classification of documents with contents which are confidential or secret. No
censorship of public officials reporting on matters for which they are responsible shall bepermitted.

Section Three. Public Functions
Article 144
Statutes governing public functions shall be enacted by law, with rules concerning
entering, promotion, transfers, suspension and removal of employees of Public
Administration, and will provide for their incorporation into Social Security.
The duties and requirements that are to be met by public employees in the exercise of
their official functions shall be determined by law.

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Article 145
Public officials or employees serve the state, and not any partisan interest. Theirappointment and removal shall not be determined based on political affiliation ororientation. A person who is in the service of the Municipalities, the States, the Republic,or any other State public or private juridical persons, shall not be permitted to enter into
a contract of any kind with them, either directly or through any interposed person, or as
representative of another, with such exceptions as may be established by law.

Article 146
Positions in the organs of Public Administration are to be filled by career personnel.
Exceptions are those elected by popular vote, those whose holders may be appointed
and removed freely, those contracted for, laborers in the service of Public Administration
and any others determined by law.
Engagement of public officials to fill career positions shall be by public competition,
based on principles of honesty, capability and efficiency. Promotion shall be governed byscientific methods based on the merit system, and transfer, suspension and removal
shall depend on performance.

Article 147
In order for paid public positions to be filled, it is necessary that the pertinent
compensation be provided for in the pertinent budget.
Public Administration salary scales shall be established by regulation, in accordance withlaw.
The pertinent organic law may establish reasonable limits on the compensation earned
by national, state and municipal public officials.
The national law shall establish the pension or retirement system for national, state andmunicipal public officials.

Article 148
No one shall be permitted to hold more than one paid public position, except in the caseof academic, temporary, care-giving or teaching positions, as determined by law.
Acceptance of a second position not included among the exceptions stated in this article
shall imply resignation from the first, except in the case of substitutes, as long as they
do not permanently replace the regular holder of the position concerned.
No one shall be permitted to enjoy more than one set of pension or retirement benefits,
except in the cases expressly determined by law.

Article 149
Public officials shall not be permitted to accept employment, honors or rewards fromforeign governments without authorization from the National Assembly.

Section Four. Contracts in the Public Interest
Article 150
Entering into contracts in the national public interest shall require the approval of the
National Assembly in those cases in which such requirement is determined by law.
No contract in the municipal, state or national public interests determined shall beentered into with foreign States or official entities, or with companies not domiciled in
Venezuela, or transferred to any of the same, without the approval of the National
Assembly.
In contracts in the public interest, the law may demand certain conditions as tonationality, domicile or other matters, or require special guarantees.
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Article 151
In the public interest contracts, unless inapplicable by reason of the nature of suchcontracts, a clause shall be deemed included even if not expressed, whereby any doubts
and controversies which may raise concerning such contracts and which cannot be
resolved amicably by the contracting parties, shall be decided by the competent courtsof the Republic, in accordance with its laws and shall not on any grounds or for any
reason give rise to foreign claims.

Section Five. International Relations
Reference to fraternity/solidarity
International organizations

Article 152
The international relations of the Republic serve the ends of the State as a function of
the exercise of sovereignty and the interests of the people; they are governed by theprinciples of independence, equality between States, free self determination andnonintervention in their internal affairs, the peaceful resolution of international conflicts,
cooperation, respect of human rights and solidarity among peoples in the struggle for
their liberation and the welfare of humanity. The Republic shall maintain the finest andmost resolute defense of these principles and democratic practices in all internationalorgans and institutions.

International law

Article 153
The Republic shall promote, and encourage Latin American and Caribbean integration, in
the interest of advancing toward the creation of a community of nations, defending theregion’s economic, social, cultural, political and environmental interests. The Republic
shall have the power to sign international treaties that implement and coordinate
efforts to promote the common development of our nations, and to ensure the welfareof their peoples and the collective security of their inhabitants. To these ends, theRepublic may transfer to supranational organizations, through treaties, the exercise of
the necessary authorities to carry out these integration processes. In its policies ofintegration and union with Latin America and the Caribbean, the Republic shall giveprivileged status to relations with Bier American countries, striving to make this acommon policy throughout our Latin America. Provisions adopted within the frameworkof integration agreements shall be regarded as an integral part of the legal order inforce, and shall be applicable directly and with priority over internal legislation.

International law
Treaty ratification

Article 154
Treaties agreed to by the Republic must be approved by the National Assembly prior totheir ratification by the President of the Republic, with the exception of those whichseek to perform or perfect pre-existing obligations of the Republic, apply principles
expressly recognized by the Republic, perform ordinary acts in international relations or
exercise powers expressly vested by law in the National Executive.

International law
Customary international law

Article 155
In the international agreements, treaties and conventions entered into by the Republic,a clause shall be inserted whereby the parties agree to resolve by peaceful means
recognized under international law or agreed upon in advance between them, where thisis the case, any controversies that may arise between them in connection with its
interpretation or implementation, if not inappropriate and if it is permitted by theprocedure to be followed in entering into the treaty, agreement or convention.

Chapter II. Competence of National Public Power
Article 156
Is of the competence of the National Public Power:
1. The international policy and actions of the Republic.

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2. Defense and supreme vigilance of the general interests of the Republic, public
peace keeping and the proper enforcement of the laws throughout the national
territory.
3. The flag, coat of arms, national anthem, holidays, decorations and honors of anational nature.
4. Naturalization, admission, extradition and expulsion of foreign nationals.
5. Identification services.
6. The national police.
7. National security, defense and development.
8. The organization and governance of the National Armed Forces.
9. The governance of risk and emergency management.
10. The organization and governance of the Capital District and the federal
dependencies.
11. Regulation of central banking, the monetary system, foreign currency, thefinancial and capital market system and the issuance and mintage of currency.
Drugs, alcohol, and illegal substances

12. The creation, organization, collection, administration and control of taxes on
income, inheritances, donations and other related areas, capital, production,
value added, hydrocarbons and mines; duties on the importing and exporting ofproducts and services; taxes on the consumption of liquor, alcohol and otherproducts containing alcohol, cigarettes and other tobacco products; and anyother taxes, assessments and revenues not expressly assigned by thisConstitution and the law to the States and Municipalities.
13. Legislation to guarantee the coordination and harmony of the various different
taxing powers and define principles, parameters and limitations, especially for
purposes of determining the tax rates and aliquot parts for state and municipal
taxes, and to create specific funds that ensure inter-territorial solidarity.
14. The creation and organization of land taxes or taxes on rural properties and onreal estate transactions, the collection and oversight of which is the responsibilityof the Municipalities, in accordance with this Constitution.
15. The governance of foreign trade and the organization and governance ofcustoms.
16. The governance and management of mines and hydrocarbons, the governance of
vacant lands and the conservation, development and exploitation of forests, soil,
water and other elements of the country’s natural wealth.
The National Executive shall not grant mining concessions for an indefinite
period.
The law shall establish an economic system of special financial assignments forthe benefit of States within whose territory the assets mentioned in this section
are located, without prejudice to the possibility of also establishing special
appropriations for the benefit of other States.
17. The system of legal weights and measures and quality control.

Census

18. National censuses and statistics.
19. The establishing, coordination and unification of technical standards andprocedures for engineering, architectural and city planning projects, and city
planning/zoning legislation.
20. Public works in the national interest.
21. The macroeconomic, financial and fiscal policies of the Republic.

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22. The governance and organization of the Social Security System.
23. National policy and legislation in the fields of health, housing, food safety, theenvironment, waters, tourism, zoning and shipping.
24. National education and health policies and services.
25. National policies for agricultural, livestock, fisheries and forest production.
26. The national transportation and shipping system and air, overland, ocean, riverand lake transportation of a national nature; ports, airports and theirinfrastructure.
27. The national highway and railway systems.
Telecommunications

28. Governance of postal and telecommunications services, as well as governanceand management of the electromagnetic spectrum.
29. General governance of residential public utility services, including in particularelectricity, drinking water and gas.
30. Management of border policy with an overall vision of the country, such as topermit a Venezuelan presence and the maintenance of territory and sovereignty
in these areas.
31. The organization and administration of justice at the national level, as well as the
Office of General Prosecutor and the People Defender.
32. Legislation in the fields of constitutional guarantees, rights and duties; civil,
mercantile, criminal, penological, procedural and private international law;election law; expropriation in the public interest or in the interest of society;public credit; intellectual, artistic and industrial property; cultural andarchaeological heritage; agriculture; immigration and population; native people
and the territories they occupy; labor, Welfare and Social Security; animal andvegetable hygiene; notarial and public record offices; banks and insurance;lotteries, racetracks and betting in general; organization and functioning of theorgans of National Public Power and other organs and institutions at the national
level; and all matters of national competence in general.
33. Any other matters which the present Constitution may assign to National PublicPower, or which by their nature or type come under its competence.

Article 157
The National Assembly, by a majority vote of its members, shall have the power todelegate to the States or Municipalities certain matters under national competence, inorder to promote decentralization.

Article 158
Decentralization, as a national policy, must add depth to democracy, bring power closer
to the people and creating optimum conditions both for the exercise of democracy andfor the effective and efficient Fulfillment of government commitments.

Chapter III. State Public Power
Subsidiary unit government
National vs subnational laws

Article 159
The States are politically equal and autonomous organs with full juridical personality,
and are obligated to maintain the independence, sovereignty and integrity of the nationand to comply with and enforce the Constitution and the laws of the Republic.

Subsidiary unit government

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Article 160
The government and administration of each State corresponds to a Governor[masculine] or Governor [feminine]. To be governor [masculine] or Governor [feminine] itis required to be Venezuelan [masculine] or Venezuelan [feminine], greater than twentyfive years old and of secular estate.
The Governor [masculine] or Governor [feminine] will be elected for a period of four
years by the majority of the persons that vote. the Governor [masculine] or Governor[feminine] may be re-elected.

Article 161
Governors shall give a yearly public accounting to the State Comptroller for their office,and shall submit a report on the same to the Legislative Council and the Public Policy
Planning and Coordination Council.
Subsidiary unit government

Article 162
The Legislative Power is exercised in each State by a Legislative Council composed of anumber of not greater than fifteen nor less than seven members, who proportionally
represent the population of the State and the Municipalities. The Legislative Council has
the following attributions:
1. To legislate concerning matters of State competence.
2. To approve the Law of the Budget of the State.
3. The others that the Constitution and the law establish.
The obligation[s] of [an] annual rendering of accounts and privilege [inmunidad] in theirterritorial jurisdiction [are] requirements to be a member of the Legislative Council,
governed by the norms that the Constitution establishes for the deputies [masculine]
and deputies [feminine] of the National Assembly, in what is applicable. The statelegislator [masculine] and legislator [feminine] will be elected for a period of four years,
and may be re-elected. The national law will regulate the regime of organization and thefunction of the Legislative Council.

Article 163
Each State shall have a Comptroller’s Office which shall enjoy structural and operating
autonomy. The State Comptroller’s Office shall exercise, in accordance with thisConstitution and in accordance with law, control, vigilance and auditing authority overstate revenues, expenses and assets, without prejudice to the scope of the functions of
the Office of the General Comptroller of the Republic. This body shall act under the
direction and responsibility of a Comptroller, whose qualifications to serve in thisposition shall be determined by law, guaranteeing his capability and independence, as
well as the neutrality of his appointment, which shall be by public competition.
Subsidiary unit government

Article 164
Is of the States exclusive competence:
1. Promulgating their Constitution to organize public authority, in accordance withthe provisions of this Constitution.
2. Organization of their Municipalities and other local organs and the territorial andpolitical divisions between them, in accordance with this Constitution and inaccordance with law.
3. Management of their assets and investment and management of their resources,
including those deriving from transfers, subsidies or special assuagements from
National Power, and those assigned to them as a share of national tax revenues.

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4. Organization, collection, control and administration of their own taxes, inaccordance with provisions of national and state law.
5. The governance and exploitation of non-metallic minerals that are not reserved
to National Power, as well as salt deposits and oyster beds, and the managementof vacant lands within their jurisdiction, in accordance with law.
6. Organization of the police and determination of the branches of this service to be
assigned to municipal jurisdiction, in accordance with applicable national
legislation.
7. Creation, organization, collection, control and management in the fields of sealed
paper and tax documentary stamps.
8. Creation, governance and organization of state public services.
9. Construction, preservation, management and exploitation of overland travel
routes within the states.
10. Conservation, management and exploitation of national expressways andhighways, as well as ports and airports in commercial use, in coordination with
the National Executive.
11. Any matters not placed, in accordance with this Constitution, under national or
municipal jurisdiction.

Article 165
Matters involving concurrent competence shall be regulated by laws enacted by
National Power and implementation laws passed by the States. This legislation shall be
guided by the principles of interdependence, coordination, cooperation, shared
responsibility and subordination.
The States shall decentralize and transfer to the Municipalities the state services andpowers which the Municipalities are capable of exercising, as well as management of theassociated resources, in the areas in which concurrent jurisdiction exist as between
these two levels of Public Power. The transfer mechanisms shall be regulated by thelegal system of the State concerned.

Article 166
In each state, a Public Policy Planning and Coordination Council shall be created, chairedby the Governor and having as members the Mayors, the state directors of the various
ministries and representative s of the legislators elected by the State to the National
Assembly, as well as representatives from the Legislative Council, the municipal councils
and organized communities, including native communities where they exist. This Council
shall function and be organized as determined by law.

Article 167
Are revenues of the States:
1. Those deriving from their property and the management of their assets.
2. Charges for the use of their goods and services, fines and penalties, and any
charges allocated to them.
3. Proceeds from the sale of State-owned commodities.
Subsidiary unit government

4. The resources to which they are entitled by virtue of constitutional revenue
share.
The revenue share is equivalent to up to 20% of total ordinary revenues asestimated annually by the National Treasure, which is to be distributed among
the States and the Capital District as follows: 30% of the aforementioned

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4. percentage in equal shares, and the remaining 70% in proportion to the
population of each of such entities.
During each fiscal year, the States must invest at least 50% of the amount towhich they are entitled by way of revenue share. During each fiscal year, theMunicipalities of each State shall be entitled to at least 20% of the revenue shareand of all other ordinary revenues of the State corresponding.
In the event of changes in the revenues of the National Treasury that require an
adjustment to the National Budget, the constitutional revenue share shall be
adjusted in the same proportion.
Principles, rules and procedures with a view to ensure the proper and efficientuse of the resources deriving from the constitutional revenue share and theshare of the Municipalities therein shall be established by law.
5. Any other taxes, charges and special contributions that may be allocated to themby national law for the purpose of helping to develop the state treasuries.
Laws creating or transferring tax revenues to the States may offset these
allocations by means of changes in the other revenue categories indicated in thisarticle, in order to preserve inter-territorial fairness. The percentage of
estimated ordinary national revenues allocated to the constitutional revenue
share shall be no less than 15% of estimated ordinary revenues, taking into
account the financial position and sustainability of the National Public Treasury,
without neglecting the ability of the state administrative authorities to provide
adequately for the services for which they are responsible.
6. Resources deriving from the Inter-territorial Compensation Fund and from anyother transfer, subsidy or special appropriation, as well as those allocated tothem as a share of national tax revenues, in accordance with the pertinent law.

Chapter IV. Municipal Public Power
Municipal government

Article 168
Municipalities constitute the primary political unit in the organization of the nation, andenjoy artificial personality and autonomy within the limits prescribed by the Constitution
and the law.
Municipal autonomy includes:
1. Election of municipal authorities.
2. Management of affairs within the scope of its competence.
3. Creation, collection and investment of its revenues.
The actions of a Municipality within the scope of its competence shall be carried out by
incorporating citizen participation into the process of defining and managing publicaffairs and monitoring and evaluating the results achieved, in an effective, sufficient andtimely manner, in accordance with law.
The actions of Municipalities may be contested only before the courts of competentjurisdiction, in accordance with the Constitution and the law.

Municipal government

Article 169
The organization of Municipalities and other local entities shall be governed by thisConstitution, by the rules established by national organic laws to implement
constitutional principles, and by such provisions of law as may be enacted by the Statesin accordance with the aforementioned.
Legislation enacted to implement constitutional principles relating to Municipalities andother local entities shall establish various structures for the organization, governanceand administration of the same, including as regards the determination of their powers
and resources, taking into account conditions relating to population, economic

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development, ability to generate their own tax revenues, geographical location,
historical and cultural elements and other relevant factors. In particular, such legislation
shall establish the options for organizing the system of local administration andgovernment that shall be adopted by Municipalities with native populations. In all cases,
the municipal structure shall be democratic and consistent with the inherent nature of
local government.
Municipal government

Article 170
Municipalities shall be permitted to associate in commonwealths, or to agree among
themselves or with other territorial political divisions on the creation of types ofintergovernmental associations for purposes in the public interest relating to matterswithin their competence. The rules concerning the grouping of two or more
Municipalities into districts shall be determined by law.

Municipal government

Article 171
When two or more Municipalities belonging to the same federal organ have economic,
social and physical relations that give the group the characteristics of a metropolitanarea, they may organize themselves as metropolitan districts. The organic law enacted
for the purpose shall guarantee the democratic and participatory character of themetropolitan government and shall establish its functional competence, as well as its
tax, financial and control regime. It shall also ensure that the Municipalities haveadequate participation in the entities of the metropolitan government, and shall indicate
the manner in which the public consultations that are to decide upon affiliation of theMunicipalities with the metropolitan district.
Various regimes may be established by law for the organization, governance andadministration of the metropolitan district, taking into account population conditions,
economic and social development, geographical location and other factors ofimportance. In all cases, the delegation of competence for each metropolitan district
shall take into account these conditions.

Article 172
The state Legislative Council, after a favorable decision by public consultation of theaffected population, shall define the boundaries of the metropolitan district and shallorganize the same in accordance with the provisions of the national organic law,
determining which metropolitan powers are to be assumed by the governmental organsof the pertinent metropolitan district.
When the Municipalities wishing to form a metropolitan district belong to different
federal entities, the creation and organization of the same shall be the responsibility of
the National Assembly.

Article 173
A Municipality shall have the power to create parishes on such terms as may be
determined by law. The legislation enacted to implement constitutional principles
relating to the organization of Municipalities shall establish the premises and conditions
for the creation of other local entities within the territory of the Municipality, as well as
the resources that shall be available to them, depending on the functions assigned tothem, including their share in the Municipality’s own revenues. Their creation shall take
into account neighborhood or community initiative, in order to provide for thedecentralization of the administration of the Municipality, citizen participation and theproviding of better public services. In no event shall parishes be assumed to be the only
possible divisions, or to be required divisions, of the territory of a Municipality.
Municipal government

Article 174
The government and administration of the Municipality corresponds to the mayor[masculine] or mayor [feminine], who will also be the principal civil authority. To be
mayor [masculine] or mayor [feminine] it is required to be Venezuelan [masculine] orVenezuelan [feminine], greater than twenty-five years old, and of secular estate. The
mayor [masculine] or mayor [feminine] will be elected for a period of four years by the
majority of the persons that vote, and may be re-elected.

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Article 175
The legislative function in a Municipality is vested in the Council, made up of council
members elected in the manner established in this Constitution, in such number and onsuch terms of eligibility as may be determined by law.

Article 176
The Office of the Municipal Comptroller shall be in charge of control, vigilance andauditing of municipal revenues, expenses and property, as well as transactions relating
to the same, without prejudice to the scope of the attributions of the Office of theGeneral Comptroller, and the official in charge of the office shall be the Municipal
Comptroller, designated by the Council through a public competition to guarantee thecapability and ability of the person designated to hold this office, on the terms
established by law.

Article 177
Principles, residence requirements and conditions, prohibitions, grounds fordisqualification and conflicts of interest for the candidacy and exercise of the functionsof mayors and councilmen members may be established by national law.
Municipal government

Article 178
A Municipality has competence to govern and administrate its interests, as well as overthe management of those matters which are assigned to it by this Constitution andnational laws as regards local life, in particular the ordering and promotion of economic
and social development, the equipping and providing of household public utility services,
the application of policy with respect to these matters on a basis of fairness, justice andsocial interest content, according with delegation established on law related to thismatter, the promotion of participation and improvement, in general, of living conditionsin the community, in the following areas:
1. Territorial zoning and city planning matters; historic heritage; housing in theinterest of society; local tourism; parks and gardens; plazas; bathing and otherrecreational areas; civil architecture, nomenclature and public ornament.
2. Urban roadways; circulation and ordering of vehicular and pedestrian traffic onmunicipal thoroughfares; urban public passenger transportation services.
3. Public spectacles and commercial advertising, to the extent pertinent to specificmunicipal interests and purposes.
4. Protection of the environment and cooperation with environmental sanitation
efforts; urban and household sanitation, including cleaning, waste collection andtreatment and civil protection.
5. Healthiness and primary health care; services for the protection of infants andchildren, adolescents and senior citizens; preschool education; family services tointegrate the disabled into the development of the community; cultural andsports activities and facilities. Prevention and protective services; surveillanceand control of property and activities relating to matters within municipal
competency.
6. Drinking water services, electricity and gas for household use, sewers.
channeling and disposal of wastewater; cemeteries and funeral services.
7. Small claims courts, neighborhood prevention and protection and municipal police
services, in accordance with applicable national legislation.
8. Any others with which Municipalities may be charged under the Constitution andby law.
The actions that Municipalities have the power to take within the scope of theircompetence are without prejudice to national and state competence as defined by law inaccordance with the Constitution.

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Article 179
Municipalities shall have the following revenues:
1. Those deriving from their capital assets, including the proceeds from theircommon lands and other property.
2. Charges for the use of their goods or services; administrative charges for licenses
or authorizations; taxes on economic activities in the areas of industry, businessand services, or those of similar kind, with the limitations established in thisConstitution; taxes on urban real property, vehicles, public shows, games andlawful wagering; advertising and commercial publicity; and, the special tax onincreased property values generated by changes in use or intensity of
exploitation from which they benefit because of zoning plans.
3. The rural territorial tax or tax on rural estates; sharing in the tax on
improvements and other national and state taxes, in accordance with the laws
creating such taxes.
4. Those deriving from the constitutional revenue share and other national or statetransfers or subsidies.
5. The proceeds from fines and penalties imposed within the scope of theircompetence, or delegated to them.
6. Such others as may be determined by law.

Article 180
The taxing power that is vested in Municipalities is different from and independent of
the regulatory powers over certain fields or activities conferred by this Constitution orlaws on National or State Authority.
Immunities from the taxing power of Municipalities in favor of other territorial politicalentities extend only to public sector juridical persons created by such organs, and not toconcession holders or other parties entering into contracts with the administrative armof National or State government.

Article 181
Municipal common lands are inalienable and not subject to the law of limitations. Title tothem can be conveyed only subject to compliance with the formalities provided forunder municipal ordinances and under the circumstances provided for thereunder, in
accordance with this Constitution and such laws as may be promulgated to develop theprinciples container herein.
Ownerless land located within the urban area of towns in a municipality is municipal
common land, without prejudice to legitimate and validly constituted rights of third
parties. Vacant land located within the urban area also becomes common land.
However, this does not include land which is part of native communities. The mechanism
for converting other public land into common land shall be established by law.

Article 182
The Local Public Planning Council is hereby created, presided over by the Mayor andconsisting of municipal Council members, Chairpersons of Parish Boards andrepresentatives of neighborhood organizations and other organized social groups, inaccordance with such provisions as may be established by law.

Article 183
States and Municipalities shall not have the power to:
1. Create customs authorities or import, export or transit duties on domestic or
foreign goods, or on other revenue sources under national competence.
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2. Tax consumer goods before the same are marketed within their territory.
3. Prohibit the consumption of goods produced outside their territory, nor tax thesame differently from those produced within their territory.
States and Municipalities have the power to tax agriculture, livestock, fishing and forest
activities only at the times, in the manner and to the extent permitted by national laws.
Subsidiary unit government

Article 184
Open and flexible mechanisms shall be created by law to cause the States andMunicipalities to decentralize and transfer to communities and organized neighborhoodgroups services the latter manage and demonstrate the ability to provide, promoting:
1. The transfer of services in the areas of health, education, housing, sports, culture,social programs, the environment, maintenance of industrial areas, maintenanceand upkeep of urban areas, neighborhood prevention and protective services,
construction of works projects and providing of public services. To this end, theyshall have the power to enter into agreements, whose content shall be guided by
the principles of interdependence, coordination, cooperation and shared
responsibility.
2. Participation by communities and citizens, through neighborhood associations
and nongovernmental organizations, in the formulation of investment proposals
for presentation before the state and municipal authorities in charge of preparing
the pertinent investment plans, as well as participation in the execution,
evaluation and control of works projects, social programs and public services
within their jurisdiction.
3. Participation in economic processes, stimulating manifestations of the social
economy, such as cooperatives, saving funds, mutual funds and other forms of
association.
4. Participation by workers and communities in the running of public sector businessenterprises, through self-management and joint management methods.
5. Creation of community service enterprises, organizations and cooperatives asmechanisms to generate employment and social Welfare, providing for theirpermanent existence through the design of policies whereby these groups are
given means of participating.
6. Creation of new decentralized organs at the parish, community, ward andneighborhood levels, with a view to guaranteeing the principle of shared
responsibility in the public administration of local and state governments, anddeveloping process of self-management and joint management in theadministration and control of state and municipal public services.
7. Participation by communities in activities to establish closer ties with penal
institutions and ties between the latter and the general population.

Chapter V. The Federal Council on Government
Article 185
The Federal Council on Government is the organ charged with planning and coordinationof policies and actions to develop the process of decentralization and transfer of powers
from National Authority to the States and Municipalities. It shall be presided over by the
Executive Vice-President and shall consist of the Cabinet ministers, the Governors, one
Mayor from each State and representatives of organized society, in accordance, withlaw.
The Federal Council on Government shall have a Secretariat made up of the Executive
Vice-President, two Ministers, three Governors and three Mayors. The Federal Council
on Government shall have a dependency known as the Inter territorial Compensation
Fund, intended for the purpose of financing public investments with a view to promoting
the balanced development of regions, cooperation and complement among the
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development policies and initiatives of the various public territorial entities, and inparticular supporting the providing of works projects and services in regions andcommunities with relatively low levels of development. The Federal Council on
Government, based on regional unbalances, shall discuss and approve annually the
resources to be allocated to the Inter-territorial Compensation Fund and the priority
investment areas to which these resources are to be applied.

TITLE V. ORGANIZATION OF NATIONAL
PUBLIC AUTHORITY
Chapter I. National Legislative Power
Section One. General Provisions
First chamber selection
Structure of legislative chamber(s)First chamber representation quotas

Article 186
The National Assembly shall consist of Deputies elected in each of the federal entities
by universal, direct, personalized and secret ballot with proportional representation,using a constituency base of 1.1 % of the total population of the country.
Each federal organ shall also elect three additional deputies. The native peoples of the
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall elect three deputies in accordance with theprovisions established under election law, respecting the traditions and customs thereof.
Each deputy shall have an alternate elected by the same process.

First chamber reserved policy areas

Article 187
It shall be the function of the National Assembly:
1. To legislate in matters of national competence and as to the functioning of thevarious branches of National Power.
2. To propose amendments to and revisions of the Constitution, on the terms
established in this Constitution.
3. To exercise control functions over the government and the National Public
Administrative, on the terms established in this Constitution and by law.
Evidence obtained during the exercise of this function shall have probative value
on such terms as may be established by law.
4. To organize and promote citizen participation in matters within its competence.
5. To order amnesties.
6. To discuss and approve the national budget and any bill relating to the taxation
system and to public credit.
7. To authorize appropriations in addition to the budget.

Economic plans

8. To approve the general guidelines for the national economic and social
development plan to be submitted by the National Executive during the third
quarter of the first year of each constitutional term.
9. To authorize the National Executive to enter into contracts in the national
interest, in the cases established by law. To authorize contracts in the municipal,
state and national public interest, with foreign States, or official entities or withcompanies not domiciled in Venezuela.
10. To vote resolutions of censure against the Executive Vice President andMinisters. A censure motion shall be debated only two days after being
submitted to the Assembly, which shall have the power to decide by a three fifths

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10. vote that the censure shall include the removal from office of the Executive VicePresident or the Minister concerned.
Designation of commander in chief
Power to declare/approve war

11. To authorize the operation of Venezuelan military missions abroad or foreign
military missions within the country.
12. To authorize the National Executive to dispose of nonpublic real property ownedby the Nation, with such exceptions as may be established by law.
13. To authorize public officials to accept positions, honors or rewards from foreign
governments.
14. To authorize the appointment of the General Attorney of the Republic and theHeads of Permanent Diplomatic Missions.
15. To confer the honors of the National Pantheon on illustrious Venezuelans who
have rendered eminent services to the Republic, after 25 years have elapsed
since the death of such persons; this decision may be made upon arecommendation from the President of the Republic, two thirds of the State
Governors, all of the rectors of the National Universities.
16. To tend that the interests and autonomy of the States are upheld.
17. To authorize the departure of the President of the Republic from the territory of
the Nation, when such absence is to last longer than five consecutive days.

Treaty ratification
International law

18. To approve by law any international treaties or agreements entered into by the
National Executive, with the exceptions set forth in the present Constitution.
19. To enact its own internal regulations and apply such sanctions as may beprovided for thereunder.
20. To pass on the qualifications of its members and take notice of their resignation.
The temporarily separation of a deputy from his or her office, shall only be
decided by a two thirds vote of those present.
21. To organize its own internal security service.
22. To pass and implement its budget of expenditures, taking into account thecountry’s financial limitations.
23. To implement resolutions concerning its own administrative organization andfunctioning.
24. Any others indicated in this Constitution or by law.

Eligibility for first chamber

Article 188
To be elected to the office of deputy of the National Assembly, a person must:
1. Be Venezuelan by birth, or by naturalization with 15 years of residence within the
territory of Venezuela.

Minimum age for first chamber

2. Be over the age of 21 years.
3. Have resided for four consecutive years in the organ from which he or she iselected, prior to such election.

Article 189
The following shall not be eligible for the office of deputy:
1. The President of the Republic, the Executive Vice-President Ministers, theSecretary of the Office of the President of the Republic and the Chairpersons andDirectors of Autonomous Institutes and State owned enterprises, until threemonths after leaving such offices.

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2. Governors and government secretaries of the States or the Capital District, until
three months after permanently leaving such offices.
3. Municipal state or national, Autonomous Institutes or State-owned enterprises,
officers when the election is taking place in the jurisdiction in which such officer
serves, except in the case of a temporary care-providing, teaching or academic
position.
The pertinent organic law may provide for the ineligibility of other officers.

Article 190
Deputies of the National Assembly shall not be proprietors, administrators or directorsof business enterprises that enter into contracts with public sector juridical persons, sothat they shall have no private beneficial interest in dealing with it. When matters
involving financial conflicts of interest come up for discussion, the affected members of
the National Assembly shall be required to abstain from the pertinent vote.
Outside professions of legislators

Article 191
Deputies of the National Assembly shall not be permitted to accept or hold public
employment positions without giving up their investiture, except in teaching, academic,
temporary and care-giving positions, and provided the employment is not intended to be
full-time.

Term length for first chamber

Article 192
The deputies [masculine] and deputies [feminine] of the National Assembly remain forfive years in the exercise of their functions, and may be reelected.

Section Two. Organization of the National Assembly
Legislative committees

Article 193
The National Assembly shall appoint ordinary and special Standing Committees. The
Standing Committees, which shall be no more than 15 in number, shall relate to sectorsof national activity. The National Assembly shall also have the power to create
Committees of temporary nature for purposes of research and study, all of the foregoingin accordance with the applicable Regulations. The National Assembly shall have thepower to create or abolish Standing Committees by the favorable vote of two thirds ofthe members of the Assembly.

Leader of first chamber

Article 194
The National Assembly shall elect among its members one President and two VicePresidents, as well as one Secretary and an Undersecretary, not member of theAssembly, for a term of one year. The Regulations shall establish the methods for filling
temporary and permanent vacancies.

Standing committees

Article 195
While the Assembly is in recess, a Delegated Committee consisting of the President, theVice-President and the Presidents of the Standing Committees shall be in session.

Standing committees

Article 196
The following are powers of the Delegated Committee:

Extraordinary legislative sessions

1. To call the National Assembly into extraordinary session, when the importance ofany matter so demands.
2. To authorize the President of the Republic to leave the territory of Venezuela.
3. To authorize the National Executive to order additional appropriations.

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4. To designate temporary Committees consisting of members of the Assembly.
5. To execute investigations functions ascribed to the Assembly.
6. By a two thirds vote of its members, to authorize the National Executive tocreate, modify or suspend public services in the event of a proven emergency.
7. Any others established by the Constitution or by law.

Section Three. Deputies of the National Assembly
Article 197
Deputies of the National Assembly, are obligated to work on a full- time basis for the
benefit of the people’s interest, and to stay in constant contact with their constituents,
heeding these opinions and suggestions and keeping them informed about its individual
and Assembly Management. They shall render in an annual accounting of its
management to the constituents in the jurisdiction from which they were elected, andshall be subject to recall by referendum as provided for under this Constitution and theapplicable law.

Article 198
A Deputy of the National Assembly who is recalled shall not be eligible for any public
elective office during the following term of office.

Article 199
Deputies of the National Assembly are not liable for votes and opinions expressed in theperformance of their official functions. They shall be answerable to voters and to thelegislative entity only as provided for under the Constitution and Regulations.
Immunity of legislators

Article 200
Deputies of the National Assembly shall enjoy immunity in the exercise of theirfunctions from the time of their installation until the end of their term or resignation.
Only the Supreme Tribunal of Justice shall have competence over any crimes may becharged as committed by members of the National Assembly, and only the Supreme
Tribunal of Justice, subject to authorization in advance from the National Assembly, shallhave the power to order their arrest and prosecution. In the case of a flagrant offense
committed by a legislator, the competent authority shall place such legislator underhouse arrest and immediately notify the Supreme Tribunal of Justice of such event.
Public officials who violate the immunity of members of the National Assembly shallincur criminal liability and shall be punished in accordance with law.

Article 201
Deputies are representatives of the people and of the States taken together, they are
not subject to mandates or instructions, but only to their own consciences. Their vote in
the National Assembly is personal.

Section Four. Passage of Laws
Article 202
The law is an act enacted by the National Assembly in legislative session. Laws that
contain a systematic set of norms regulating a particular field may also be referred to ascodes.
Constitutional interpretation
Constitutionality of legislation
Organic laws

Article 203
Organic Laws are those designated as such by this Constitution, those enacted toorganize public powers or developing constitutional rights, and those which serve as a

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normative framework for other laws.
Any bill for the enactment of an organic law, except in the case of those defined as suchin the Constitution itself, must first be accepted by the National Assembly, by a twothirds vote of the members present, before the beginning of debate on the bill. Thisqualifying vote shall also apply to the process of amending organic acts.
Laws defined by the National Assembly as organic acts shall be sent, prior to
promulgation, to the Constitutional Division of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice for aruling on the constitutionality of their organic status. The Constitutional Division shallreach a decision within ten days of receipt of the communication. If the Constitutional
Division rules that the law is not organic, such the law shall lose the organic status.
Enabling laws are those enacted by a three fifths vote of the members of the National
Assembly to establish the guidelines, purposes and framework for matters that are
being delegated to the President of the Republic, with the rank and force of a law.
Enabling law is to set the period for the exercising thereof.
Initiation of general legislation

Article 204
The initiative for introducing legislation belongs to:
1. The National Executive Power.
2. The Delegated Committee and the Standing Committees.
3. Members of the National Assembly, at least three in number.
4. The Supreme Tribunal of Justice, in the case of laws relating to judicial
procedures and organization.
5. Citizen Power, in the case of laws relating to the organs comprising the same.
6. Electoral Power in the case of laws relating to electoral matters.
7. The voters, in a number at least equivalent to 0.1% of all permanently registeredvoters.
8. The State Legislative Council, in the case of laws relating to the States.

Article 205
The discussion of bills submitted by citizens in accordance with the provisions of thepreceding article shall be initiated no later than the regular legislative session followingthat during which the bill was introduced. If debate does not begin within such period,
the bill must be submitted for approval by referendum in accordance with law.

Article 206
The States must be consulted by the National Assembly, through the State Legislative
Council, when legislation in matters relating to them is being considered. The
mechanisms for consultation of citizens and other institutions by the Council withrespect to such matters shall be established by law.

Article 207
To be enacted into law, every bill shall be debated twice, on different days, following therules established in this Constitution and the pertinent regulations. Once the bill isapproved, the President of the National Assembly shall declare the law enacted.

Article 208
During the first debate, the statement of legislative intent shall be considered and theobjectives, scope and viability of the same shall be evaluated in order to determine theappropriateness of the law, and the articles shall be discussed. Upon approval at the firstdebate, the bill shall be sent to the Committee directly concerned with the subject

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matter of the law. If the bill relates to several Standing Committees, a mixed committee
shall be designated to conduct a study and prepare a report.
Committees studying bills shall report the bill out within no more than 30 consecutive
days.

Article 209
Once the bill has been reported out of committee, the second debate on the bill shallbegin, being conducted article by article. If the bill is approved without amendment, it
shall be enacted into law. However, if amended it shall be returned to the Committee
concerned for inclusion of the amendments by such Committee within no more than 15
consecutive days; once read the new version of the bill at a plenary session of the
National Assembly, it shall decide as appropriate by majority vote on any articles as towhich a discrepancy exists, and on any other articles relating thereto. Once thediscrepancy has been resolved, the President shall declare the bill enacted into law.

Article 210
Debate on bills still pending at the end of a legislative session may be continued during
the next regular session or during a special session.

Article 211
During the process of debating and approval of bills, the National Assembly or Standing
Committees shall consult the other organs of the State, the citizenry and organizedsociety to hear their opinion about the same. The following shall have the right to speak
during debates on proposed laws: the Cabinet Ministers, as representatives of the
Executive Power; such justice of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice as the latter may
designate, to represent the Judicial Power; such representative of Citizen Power as may
be designated by the Republican Ethic Council; the members of the Electoral Authority;
the States, through a representative designated by the State Legislative Council; andthe representatives of organized society, on such terms as may be established by theRegulations of the National Assembly.

Article 212
The text of laws shall be preceded by the following phrase: “The National Assembly of
the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela hereby Decrees:”

Article 213
Once the law has been enacted, it shall be promulgated in duplicate with the final
language as approved during the debates. Both copies shall be signed by the President,
the two Vice Presidents and the Secretary of the National Assembly, with the date of
final approval. One of the copies of the law shall be sent by the President of the National
Assembly to the President of the Republic for purposes of promulgation.
Veto override procedure
Constitutionality of legislation
Approval or veto of general legislation

Article 214
The President of the Republic shall promulgate the law within a ten day period following
the date on which the President receives it. During this period the President may, by
Cabinet Ministers resolution with statement of grounds, ask the National Assembly toamend any of the provisions of the law or rescind its approval of part or all of it.
The National Assembly shall decide by majority vote of those deputies present on thematters raised by the President of the Republic, and then shall send the law back to him
for promulgation.
The President of the Republic must proceed to promulgate the law within five days ofreceipt, without the possibility of new objections. When the President of the Republicconsiders that the law or any of its articles is unconstitutional, he shall be required torequest a ruling from the Constitutional Division of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice,
within the ten day period allowed the President for promulgating the law. The Supreme
Tribunal of Justice shall reach a decision within 15 days of receipt of the communication

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from the President of the Republic. If the Tribunal declines to rule the provisions referred
to it unconstitutional or fails to reach a decision within the aforementioned period, thePresident of the Republic must promulgate the law within five days of the Tribunal’s
decision or the expiration of such term.

Article 215
The law shall be promulgated upon publication with the order of “fulfillment” in the
Official Gazette of the Republic.
Approval or veto of general legislation

Article 216
When the President of the Republic fails to promulgate the law on the terms indicatedabove, the President and the two Vice Presidents of the National Assembly shallproceed to promulgate it, without prejudice to such liability as the President of the
Republic may incur by reason of his omission.

Article 217
The point at which the approving law of an international treaty, agreement orconvention must be promulgated shall be left to the discretion of the National
Executive, in accordance with international practices and the convenience of the
Republic.

Article 218
Laws are repealed by other laws and are abrogated by referendum, subject to the
exceptions established in this Constitution. Laws may be amended in whole or in part. A
law that is amended in part shall be published in a single text that incorporates theamendments passed.

Section Five. Procedures
Length of legislative sessions

Article 219
The first regular legislative session of the National Assembly shall begin, without
advance notice, on January fifth of each year or on the first subsequent day possible,
and shall continue until August 15.
The second session shall begin on September 15 or the first subsequent day possible,
and shall end on December 15.

Article 220
The National Assembly shall meet in special sessions to take up the matters on theagenda contained in the notice of the meeting, and any related matters. A special
session may also consider any matters declared urgent by a majority vote of themembers.
Quorum for legislative sessions

Article 221
The requirements and procedures for the establishment and other sessions of the
National Assembly, and for the functioning of its Committees, shall be determined by
the Regulations.
In no case may a quorum be less than an absolute majority of the members of the
National Assembly.

Legislative oversight of the executive

Article 222
The National Assembly shall be empowered to exercise its control function by means of
the following mechanisms: parliamentary questions, investigations, questions,authorizations and parliament’s approvals as provided for in this Constitution and bylaw, and any other mechanism that may be established by laws and their associatedRegulations. In exercising parliamentary control, the National Assembly shall have theVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 1999 (rev. 2009)

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power to make a finding of political liability on the part of public officials and call on
Citizen Power to initiate the appropriate action to enforce such liability.

Article 223
The Assembly or its Committees shall have the power to conduct such investigations as
they may deem appropriate in matters within their competence, in accordance with theRegulations.
All public officials are obligated, subject to the penalties established by law, to appear
before such Committees and provide the same with any information and documents
they may require in order to carry out their functions.
Private citizens are also subject to this obligation, without prejudice to the rights andguarantees embodied in this Constitution.

Article 224
The exercise of the power of investigation does not affect the powers of other publicauthorities Judges shall be obligated to take evidence as commissioned by National
Assembly and its Committees.

Chapter II. National Executive Power
Section One. President of the Republic
Deputy executive
Name/structure of executive(s)Article 225
Executive Power is exercised by the President of the Republic, the Executive VicePresident, the Cabinet Ministers and other officials as determined by this Constitution
and by law.

Name/structure of executive(s)Article 226
The President of the Republic is the Head of State and of the National Executive, inwhich latter capacity he directs the action of the government.

Minimum age of head of state
Eligibility for head of state

Article 227
In order to be elected President of the Republic, it is necessary to be Venezuelan bybirth, with no other nationality, to be more than 30 years of age, not a member of theclergy and not subject to any conviction by final judgment, as well as meeting fulfill otherrequirements prescribed in this Constitution.

Head of state selection

Article 228
The election of the President of the Republic shall be by universal suffrage by direct andsecret ballot, in accordance with law. The candidate who has received a majority of thevalid votes cast shall be proclaimed elected.

Article 229
A person holding the office of Executive Vice-President, Minister or Governor, or Mayor
as of the date he announces his candidacy or at any time between such date and that of
the Presidential election shall not be eligible for election to the office of President of the
Republic.
Head of state term length

Article 230
The presidential term is of six years. The President [masculine] or President [feminine]of the Republic may be re-elected.

Oaths to abide by constitution

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Article 231
The candidate elected shall take office as President of the Republic on January 10 of thefirst year of his constitutional term, by taking an oath before the National Assembly. If
for any supervening reason, the person elected President of the Republic cannot besworn in before the National Assembly, he shall take the oath of office before theSupreme Tribunal of Justice.

Article 232
The President of the Republic is responsible for his acts and for fulfilling the duties andobligations inherent to such position.
Is obligated to endeavor the guarantee of the rights and liberties of Venezuelans, as wellas the independence, integrity, sovereignty and defense of the Republic. The declarationof states of exception does not modify the principle of the President of the Republic’s
responsibility nor that of the Executive Vice President or the Cabinet Ministers, inaccordance with this Constitution and law.
Head of state replacement
Head of state removal

Article 233
The President of the Republic shall become permanently unavailable to serve by reasonof any of the following events: death; resignation; removal from office by decision of theSupreme Tribunal of Justice; permanent physical or mental disability certified by a
medical board designated by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice with the approval of the
National Assembly; abandonment of his position, duly declared by the National
Assembly; and recall by popular vote.
When an elected President becomes permanently unavailable to serve prior to his
inauguration, a new election by universal suffrage and direct ballot shall be held within
30 consecutive days. Pending election and inauguration of the new President, thePresident of the National Assembly shall take charge of the Presidency of the Republic.
When the President of the Republic becomes permanently unavailable to serve during
the first four years of this constitutional term of office, a new election by universal
suffrage and direct ballot shall be held within 30 consecutive days. Pending election andinauguration of the new President, the Executive Vice-President shall take charge of the
Presidency of the Republic.
In the cases describes above, the new President shall complete the current
constitutional term of office.
If the President becomes permanently unavailable to serve during the last two years of
his constitutional term of office, the Executive Vice-President shall take over the
Presidency of the Republic until such term is completed.

Article 234
A President of the Republic who becomes temporarily unavailable to serve shall be
replaced by the Executive Vice-President for a period of up to 90 days, which may be
extended by resolution of the National Assembly for an additional 90 days.
If the temporarily unavailability continues for more than 90 consecutive days, theNational Assembly shall have the power to decide by a majority vote of its members
whether the unavailability to serve should be considered permanent.

Article 235
The absence of the President of the Republic from the territory of Venezuela requires
authorization from the National Assembly or the Delegated Committee, when suchabsence continues for a period exceeding five consecutive days.

Section Two. The President of the Republic
Head of state powers

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Article 236
The following are attributions and duties of the President of the Republic:
1. To comply with and enforce this Constitution and the law.
2. To direct the activity of the Government.
Cabinet removal
Cabinet selection
Foreign affairs representative
Deputy executive
Treaty ratification
Designation of commander in chief

Selection of active-duty commanders
Designation of commander in chief

3. To appoint and remove the Executive Vice-President and the Cabinet Ministers.
4. To direct the international relations of the Republic and sign and ratify
international treaties, agreements or conventions.
5. To direct the National Armed Forces in his capacity as Commander in Chief,
exercise supreme hierarchical Authority over the same and establish theircontingent.
6. To exercise supreme command over the National Armed Forces, promote theirofficers at the rank of colonel or naval captain and above, and appoint them tothe positions exclusively reserved to them.
7. To declare states of exception and order the restriction of guarantees in thecases provided for under this Constitution.

Head of state decree power

Extraordinary legislative sessions

8. To issue executive orders having the force of law, subject to authorization inadvance by an enabling act.
9. To call special sessions of the National Assembly.
10. To issue regulations for the application of laws, in whole or in part, without
altering the spirit, purpose and reason for being of the laws.
11. To administer the National Public Treasury.
12. To negotiate national loans.

Head of state decree power

13. To order extraordinary budget item in addition to the budget, subject toauthorization in advance from the National Assembly or the DelegatedCommittee.
14. To enter into contracts in the national interest, subject to this Constitution andapplicable laws.
15. To designate, subject to prior authorization from the National Assembly or theDelegated Committee, the Attorney-General of the Republic and the heads ofthe permanent diplomatic missions.
16. To designate and remove those officials whose appointment is made subject tohis discretion by this Constitution or the applicable law.
17. To address reports or special messages to the National Assembly, either inperson or through the Executive Vice-President.

Economic plans

Power to pardon

18. To formulate the National Development Plan and, subject to approval in advancefrom the National Assembly, direct the implementation of the same.
19. To grant pardons.
20. To determine the number, organization and competence of the Ministries andother organs comprising the National Public Administrative Branch, as well as
the organization and functions of the Cabinet Ministers, within the principles andguidelines set forth in the pertinent organic law.

Dismissal of the legislature
Head of state powers

21. To dissolve the National Assembly in the case contemplated by this Constitution.
22. To call reference in the cases provided for under the present Constitution.
23. To call and preside over meetings of the National Defense Council.

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24. Any others vested in the President under this Constitution and law.
The President of the Republic shall exercise during a meeting of the Cabinet Ministers
the attributions indicated under items (7), (8), (9), (10), (12), (13), (14), (18), (20), (21)and (22) above, and any others which may be conferred upon him by law for exercise in
the same manner.
In order to be valid, the acts of the President of the Republic, with the exception of thoseindicated under items (3) and (5), must be countersigned by the Executive vicepresident and the Minister or Ministers concerned.
Legislative oversight of the executive

Article 237
Annually, within the first ten days following to installation of the National Assembly, in
ordinary session, the President of the Republic, shall present personally to the Assemblya message by which will render account of the political, economic, social andadministrative aspects of its administration during the past year.

Section Three. Executive Vice-President
Article 238
The Executive Vice-President is a direct subordinate of and works closely with the
President of the Republic in the latter’s capacity as Head of the National Executive.
The Executive Vice-President must meet the same requirements prescribes for
eligibility for the office of President of the Republic, and must not be related to the latterby either blood or marriage.
Deputy executive

Article 239
The following are powers of the Executive Vice-President:
1. To cooperate with the President of the Republic in directing the actions of thegovernment.
2. To coordinate the National Public Administration in accordance with President of
the Republic’s instructions.
3. To propose to the President of the Republic the appointment and removal of
Ministers.
4. To preside over the Cabinet, subject to authorization in advance from the
President of the Republic.
5. To coordinate relations between the National Executive and the National
Assembly.
6. To preside over the Federal Government Council.
7. To appoint and remove, in accordance with law, those national government
officials for whose designation no other authority has been made responsible.
8. To replace the President of the Republic when the latter is temporarily
unavailable.
9. To exercise such powers as may be delegated to him by the President of the
Republic.
10. Any other powers assigned to him under the Constitution and the law.

Dismissal of the legislature

Article 240
Passage of a motion to censure the Executive Vice President, by vote of at least twothirds of the members of the National Assembly, automatically involves his removal

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from office. The removed official, shall not be eligible to serve as Executive Vice
President or Minister, for the remainder of the current presidential term of office.
The third removal of an Executive Vice- President, during the same presidential term ofoffice as a consequence of motions of censure, authorizes the President of the Republic,
to dissolve the National Assembly. The dissolution order includes the calling of elections
to form a new legislature within 60 days of the dissolution of the old.
The Assembly cannot be dissolved during the final year of its constitutional term ofoffice.

Article 241
The Executive Vice-President is accountable for his acts, in accordance with thisConstitution and the law. Section Four: Ministers and the Cabinet of Ministers

Section Four. Ministers and the Cabinet of Ministers
Cabinet removal
Establishment of cabinet/ministers

Article 242
Ministers are direct dependencies of the President of the Republic, and when assembled
together with the latter and with the Executive Vice-President, they comprise theCabinet of Ministers.
The President of the Republic shall preside over meetings of the Cabinet of Ministers,
but he shall have the power to authorize the Executive Vice President to preside overthe same when he is unable to attend. Decisions made must be ratified by the Presidentof the Republic.
The Executive Vice-President and the Ministers who took part are jointly and severally
accountable for decisions of the Cabinet of Ministers, with the exception of those whoplaced on record an adverse or negative vote.

Article 243
The President of the Republic shall have the power to appoint Ministers of State, who, in
addition to participating in the Cabinet of Ministers, shall advise the President of the
Republic and the Executive Vice President concerning the matters assigned to them.
Eligibility for cabinet

Article 244
A Minister is required to be of Venezuelan nationality and more than 25 years of age,with the exceptions established in this Constitution.
Ministers are responsible for their actions in accordance with this Constitution and inaccordance with law, and shall submit to the National Assembly, within the first 60 daysof each year, a sufficient and reasoned annual report on their stewardship during thepast year, in accordance with law.

Article 245
Ministers have the right to speak before the National Assembly and the Committees
thereof. They have the right to take part in debates in the National Assembly, without
the right to vote.
Cabinet removal

Article 246
The approbation of a vote of censure against a Minister by at least a three fifths vote of
the members present in the National Assembly, shall result in the Minister’s removalfrom office. The removed official shall be barred from serving as a Minister or Executive
Vice-President for the remainder of that presidential term.

Section Five. General Attorney of the Republic

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Article 247
The Office of the General Attorney of the Republic advises, defends and represents inand out of court the property interests of the Republic, and must be consulted for
purposes of approval of contracts in the national public interest.
The pertinent organic law shall determine the organization, competence and functioningof this office.

Article 248
The Office of the General Attorney of the Republic shall be in the charge and under the
direction of the General Attorney’ of the Republic, with the assistance of other officials
as determined by the pertinent organic law.

Article 249
The General Attorney of the Republic must meet the same conditions required in order
to serve as a justice of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice. Shall be appointed by the
President of the Republic, with the authorization of the National Assembly.

Article 250
The General Attorney of the Republic shall attend and have the right to speak atmeetings of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Section Six. Council of State
Advisory bodies to the head of state

Article 251
The Council of State is the highest consultative organ of the Government and the
National Public Administration. It shall be charged with making policy recommendationsin the national interest with regard to matters recognized by the President of the
Republic as being of particular importance and requiring the Council’s opinion.
The pertinent law shall determine its functions and powers.

Article 252
The Council of State shall be presided over by the Executive Vice President, and shall bealso integrated by five members designated by the President of the Republic; one
representative designated by the National Assembly; one representative designated by
the Supreme Tribunal of Justice and One State Governor designated by all of the States
chief executives jointly.

Chapter III. Judicial Power and Justice System
Section One. General Provisions
Structure of the courts

Article 253
The power to administer justice emanates from the citizens and is exercised in the nameof the Republic by authority of law.
The organs comprising the Judicial Power are charged with dealing with all cases andmatters within their competence, through such procedures as may be determined by
the laws, and with carrying out or causing the execution of their judgments.
The justice system consists of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, such other courts as may
be determined by law, the Office of Public Prosecutions, the Public Defender’s Office,criminal investigation organs, judicial assistants and officials, the penitentiary system,
alternative means of justice, citizens participating in the administration of justice inaccordance with law and attorneys at law admitted to practice.

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Judicial independence

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Article 254
The Judicial Power is autonomous, and the operating, financial and administrativeautonomy of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice is hereby established. To this end, in thenational general budget a variable annual amount at least equivalent to 2% of theordinary national budget shall be allocated to the justice system in order to enable it tofunction effectively; such amount shall not be reduced or modified without authorizationin advance from the National Assembly. The Judicial Power is not authorized toestablish any charges or tariffs, nor to demand any payment for its services.

Oaths to abide by constitution

Article 255
Appointment to a judicial position and the promotion of judges shall be carried out bymeans of public competitions to ensure the capability and excellence of the participants,
with selection by the juries of the judicial circuits, in such manner and on such terms as
may be established by law. The appointment and swearing in of judges shall be theresponsibility of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice. Citizen participation in the process of
selecting and designating judges shall be guaranteed by law. Judges shall be removed orsuspended from office only through the procedures expressly provided for by law.
Measures shall be taken by law to promote the professionalism of judges, and theuniversities shall cooperate to this end, organizing their corresponding law schools
curricula to specialized studies in judicial practice.
Judges are personally liable, on such terms as may be determined by law, for unjustified
omissions, delay or errors, for substantial failure to observe the rules of procedure, fordenial of justice, for partiality and for the criminal offenses of bribery and prevarication
in office.

Article 256
In order to guarantee impartiality and independence in the exercise of their official
functions, magistrates, judges, prosecutors in the Office of Public Prosecutions andpublic defenders, from the date of their appointment until they leave office, shall not be
permitted, otherwise than by exercising their right to vote, to engage in partisan
political, professional association, trade union or similar activism; nor to engage inprivate activities for profit which are incompatible with their official functions, either
directly or through any interposed person; nor to perform any other public functions,with the exception of educational activities.
Judges shall not be permitted to form associations among themselves

Article 257
Procedure represents a fundamental instrument for the administration of justice.
Procedural laws shall provide for the simplification, uniformity and efficiency of legal
formalities, and shall adopt expeditious, oral and public procedures. Justice shall not besacrificed because of the omission of nonessential formalities.

Article 258
Justice of peace in communities shall be organized by law. Justices of peace shall beelected by universal suffrage, directly and by secret ballot, in accordance with law.
The law shall encourage arbitration, conciliation, mediation and any other alternativemeans for resolving conflicts.

Article 259
Competence over contentious administrative law proceedings shall be vested in theSupreme Tribunal of Justice and such other courts as may be determined by law. Organs
with jurisdiction in the field of contentious administrative law are competent to nullify
general or individual administrative acts contrary to law, including cases of power
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providing of public services; and to rule as necessary to restore the legal position ofparties harmed by administrative actions.
Indigenous right to representation
Right to culture

Article 260
The legitimate authorities of the native peoples shall have the power to apply within
their territorial competence levels of administration of justice based on their ancestral
traditions and affecting their members only, in accordance to their own rules andproceedings, provided the same are not contrary to this Constitution, law and publicorder. The manner in which this special competence shall be coordinated with thenational judicial system shall be determined by law.

Establishment of military courts

Article 261
Military criminal jurisdiction is an integral part of the Judicial Power, and its judges shallbe selected by a competitive process. Its sphere of competence, organization and modesof operation shall be governed by the accusatory system and in accordance with theOrganic Code of Military Justice. The commission of common crimes, human rights
violations and violations of humanity rights shall be judged by the courts of the ordinary
jurisdiction. Military courts jurisdiction is limited to offenses of a military nature.
Insofar as not provided for in this Constitution, special jurisdiction and the competence,organization and functioning of the courts shall be regulated by law.

Section Two. Supreme Tribunal of Justice
Structure of the courts

Article 262
The Supreme Tribunal of Justice shall sit in plenary session and in Constitutional,
Political/Administrative, Electoral, Civil Appeal, Criminal Appeal, and Social Appeal
Divisions, whose composition and competence shall be determined by the pertinentorganic act.
The Social Division shall encompass matters relating to appeals involving agrarianmatters, labor matters and minors.

Attorney general
Eligibility for supreme court judges
Supreme court selection

Article 263
To be a justice of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, a person must:
1. Have Venezuelan nationality by birth.
2. Be recognized as an honorable citizen.
3. Be a jurist of recognized competence; enjoy a good reputation; have a minimumof 15 years experience practicing law and have a post graduate degree in law, or
have at least 15 years experience as a university professor of law, having
obtained the rank of full professor; or be or have been a superior court judge inthe specialty of the division for which he is a candidate, having been a sitting
judge for at least 15 years and gained recognized prestige in the performance of
his duties.
4. Any other requirements established by law.

Supreme court term length
Constitutional court term length
Constitutional court selection
Supreme court selection
Supreme court term limits

Article 264
The justices of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice shall be elected for a single term of 12
years. The election procedure shall be determined by law. In all cases, candidates may
be proposed to the Judicial Nominations Committee either on their own initiative or byorganizations involved in the field of law. After hearing the opinion of the community, theCommittee shall carry out a pre selection to be submitted to the Citizen Power, whichshall carry out a second pre selection to be submitted to the National Assembly, whichshall carry out the final selection.
Citizens may file objections to any of the candidates, for cause, with the Judicial
Nominations Committee or the National Assembly.

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Supreme/ordinary court judge removal

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Article 265
Justices of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice may be removed by the National Assembly
by a qualified two-thirds majority of the members, after granting the interested party ahearing; in cases involving serious misconduct already characterized as such by the
Citizen Power, on such terms as may be established by law.

Article 266
The following are powers of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice:
1. To exercise constitutional jurisdiction in accordance with title VIII of thisConstitution.
Supreme court powers
Head of state removal

2. To rule as to whether or not there are grounds for impeaching the President of
the Republic or whomever may be acting in that capacity, and if so, to retain
competence of the proceedings, subject to the approval of the National
Assembly, until the final judgment.
3. To rule as to whether or not there are grounds for impeaching the Vice Presidentof the Republic; members of the National Assembly or the Supreme Tribunal of
Justice itself, Ministers; the General Attorney; General Prosecutor; GeneralComptroller of the Republic; the People Defender; Governors; general officers
and naval admirals of the National Armed Forces; or the heads of Venezuelan
diplomatic missions; and, if so, to refer the record to the General Prosecutor of
the Republic or whomever is acting in his capacity, where appropriate, and if theoffense charged is a common crime, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice shall retain
competence of the matter until a final judgment is handed down.
4. To resolve any administrative controversies that may arise between the
Republic, any State, Municipality or other public entity, when the other party isalso one of these same organs, except in the case of a controversy between
Municipalities belonging to the same State, in which case competence may bevested by law in another court.
5. To declare null and void, in whole or in part, regulations and other general orindividual administrative actions of the National Executive Branch, whereappropriate.
6. To take competence of motions for declaratory judgment on the content andapplication of legal texts, on the terms contemplated by law.
7. To decide competence conflicts between courts, whether ordinary or special,when there is no higher or common court shared by both in the hierarchical order.
8. To take jurisdiction of appeals for violations of law.
9. Such others as may be vested in it by law.
The powers indicated under (1) shall be exercised by the Constitutional Division; thoseindicated under (2) and (3), in Plenary Session; and those indicated under (4) and (5), by
the Political/Administrative Division. The remaining powers shall be exercised by thevarious divisions as provided for under this Constitution and by law.

Section Three. Governance and Administration of the Judicial Power
Article 267
The Supreme Tribunal of Justice is charged with the direction, governance andadministration of the Judicial Power and inspection and vigilance of the courts of the
Republic and the public defenders’ offices. The Supreme Tribunal is also charged withpreparing and implementing its own budget and that of the Judicial Power.
Jurisdiction over judicial discipline shall be vested in such disciplinary courts as may be
determined by law.

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The discipline system for magistrates and judges shall be based in the Venezuelan
Judge’s Code of Ethics to be promulgated by the National Assembly. Disciplinary
proceedings shall be public, oral and expeditious, in accordance with due process, subject
to such terms and conditions as may be established by law.
In order to exercise these powers, the Supreme Tribunal in plenary session shall create
an Executive Department of the Judiciary, with its various regional offices.

Article 268
The autonomy and organization, functioning, discipline and fitness of service of publicdefenders shall be provided for by law, in order to ensure the efficiency of the service
and guarantee career benefits for public defenders.

Article 269
The organization of judicial circuits and the creation and competence of regional courts
and tribunals shall be regulated by law in such manner as to promote the administrativeand jurisdictional decentralization of the Judicial Power.

Article 270
The Committee on Judicial Nominations is a body charged with advising the Judicial
Power on the selection of candidates for designation as justices of the Supreme Tribunalof Justice. In addition, it shall advise the judicial electoral colleges on the election ofjudge, of disciplinary jurisdiction. The Committee on Judicial Nominations shall be madeup of representatives of the various sectors of society, in accordance with suchprovisions as may be established by law.
Extradition procedure
Drugs, alcohol, and illegal substances

Article 271
Extradition of foreign nationals responsible for capital delegitimization, drug, andinternational organized crime offenses, as well as crimes against the public patrimony ofother States and against human rights, shall in no case be denied. Judicial proceedings
for the purpose of punishing offenses against human rights or public patrimony, or drugtrafficking, shall not be barred by the statute of limitations. Likewise, subject to court
order, assets deriving from the activities relating to these offenses shall be confiscated.
Proceedings pertaining to the aforementioned offenses shall be public, oral andexpeditious, with respect for due process, the competent judicial authorities being
authorized to order the necessary preventive precautionary measures against assets
belonging to the defendant or persons interposed by the latter, in order to provide aguarantee for their possible civil liability.

Article 272
The State guarantees a penitentiary system such as to ensure the rehabilitation of
inmates and respect for their human rights. To this end, penitentiary establishments
shall have areas for work, study, sports and recreation, shall operate under the directionof professional penologists with academic credentials, and will be ruled by decentralizedadministration by state or municipal governments; they may be subject to privatization
arrangements. In such establishments, an open regimen shall be preferred, as well as
the model of custodial agricultural colonies. In all cases punishment formulas without
restriction of freedom shall be applied with preference to measures that restrict
freedom. The State shall create the essential institutions to provide post- penitentiary
assistance for the reinsertion of the inmate into society and shall encourage the creationof an autonomous penitentiary institution with personnel of an exclusively technicalnature.

Chapter IV. Citizen Power

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Section One. General Provisions
Article 273
Citizen Power is exercised by the Republican Ethics Council, consisting of the People
Defender, the General Prosecutor and the General Comptroller of the Republic.
The organs of Citizen Power are the People Defender’s Office, the Office of Public
Prosecutions and the Office of the General Comptroller of the Republic, one of whose
heads shall be designated by the Republican Ethics Council as its Chairman for a oneyear term of office, with the possibility of re-election.
Citizen Power is independent and its organs enjoy operating, financial andadministrative autonomy. To this end, from the general State budget it shall be allocateda variable annual budget appropriation.
Its organization and operation shall be established by organic act.
Reference to fraternity/solidarity

Article 274
The organs exercising Citizen Power are charged, in accordance with this Constitution
and with the law, with preventing, investigating and punishing actions that undermine
public ethics and administrative morals; to see to sound management and legality in theuse of public property, and fulfillment and application of the principle of legality in all of
the State’s administrative activities, as well as to promote education as a process thathelps create citizenship, together with solidarity, freedom, democracy, social
responsibility and work.

Counter corruption commission

Article 275
The representatives of the Republican Ethic Council shall issue to the authorities orofficials of the National Public Administrative warnings as to breaches in the fulfillmentof their legal duties. If these warnings are not heeded, the Republican Ethics Council
shall have the power to impose the penalties established by law. In the event ofcontempt, the Chairman of the Republican Ethics Council shall submit a report to theorgan or dependency to which the public official or employee concerned is attached, inorder that such body or dependency to take the proper corrective action, in accordance
to the case without prejudice to such penalties as may be applicable in accordance withlaw.

Article 276
The Chairman of the Republican Ethic Council and the heads of the organs comprising
Citizen Power shall submit an annual report before a plenary session of the National
Assembly. They shall likewise submit reports whenever asked by the National Assembly
to do so.
Both the regular and the special reports are to be published.

Article 277
All officials of the National Public Administrative are obligated, subject to such penalties
as may be established by law, to cooperate on an urgent priority basis withrepresentatives of the Republican Ethics Council in connection with the latter’sinvestigations. The Council shall have the power to ask them for such statements anddocuments as it may deem necessary in order to perform its functions; this includes any
documents that may have been classified or catalogues as confidential or secret inaccordance with law. In all cases, Citizen Power shall release information contained inconfidential or secret documents only through such procedures as may be establishedby law.

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Article 278
The Republican Ethic Council shall promote all types of teaching activities designed tocontribute to the understanding and study of this Constitution; love for the native land,
civic and democratic virtues and the transcendental values of the Republic; andobservance of and respect for human rights.

Article 279
The Republican Ethic Council shall convene a Citizen Power nomination Evaluating
Committee, which shall be made up of a group of representatives from various sectorsof society, and shall conduct public proceedings resulting in the provision of a list of threecandidates from each organ member of the Citizen Power to be submitted forconsideration by the National Assembly, which, by a two-thirds vote of its members,
shall select within 30 calendar days the member of the Citizen Power organ underconsideration in each case. If the National Assembly has not reached an agreement by
the end of this period, Electoral shall submit the list of three candidates to a public
referendum.
If the Citizen Power Nomination Evaluating Committee has not been convoked, theNational Assembly shall proceed, within such time limit as may be determined by law, todesignate the member of the pertinent Citizen Power organ.
Members of Citizen Power shall be subject to removal by the National Assembly,
following a ruling by the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, in accordance with the procedure
established by law.

Section Two. People Defender’s Office
Ombudsman
Human rights commission

Article 280
The People Defender’s Office is charged with the furtherance, defense and oversight of
the rights and guarantees established under this Constitution and international treaties
on human rights, in addition to defending the legitimate, collective and diffuse interest of
the citizens.
The People Defender’s Office shall act under the direction and responsibility of thePeople Defender, who shall be designated to serve for a single seven-year term.
The People Defender must be a Venezuelan national over the age of 30 years, withmanifest and proven competence in the field of human rights, and must meet with suchrequirements as to honesty, ethics and morality as may be established by law. If thePeople Defender is temporarily or permanently unavailable to serve, the vacancy shallbe filled in accordance with applicable provisions of law.

Article 281
The following are functions of the People Defender:
1. To see that the human rights provided for in this Constitution and in theinternational treaties, agreements and conventions on human rights ratified by
the Republic are effectively respected and guaranteed, investigating either on his
own initiative or at the request of any denunciation of which he or she becomesaware.
2. To see to the proper functioning of public services; protect and defend thelegitimate, collective and diffuse rights and interests of persons against arbitrary
acts, abuse of authority and errors committed in the providing of such public
services, filing when appropriate, any actions to demand that the State
compensate parties subject to its administrative actions for any damages that
may have been caused them in connection with the functioning of such public
services.
Protection from unjustified restraint

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3. exercise the powers indicated above, where proper in accordance with law.
4. To urge the General Prosecutor of the Republic to pursue any appropriate
actions or motions against public Officials responsible for violations of or
encroachment upon human rights.
5. To ask the Republican Ethic Council to take the appropriate measures withregard to public officials responsible for violations of or encroachment upon
human rights.
6. To ask the competent authority to apply appropriate corrective and punitive
measures in cases involving violations of the rights of consumers and users, inaccordance with law.
7. To submit to legislative organs at the municipal, state or national levels, bills orother initiatives for the progressive protection of human rights.
8. To protect the rights of native peoples and take such action as may be necessary
to guarantee and protect such rights effectively.
9. To visit and inspect the dependencies and establishments of State agencies, toprevent or protect human rights.
10. To place before the appropriate organs recommendations and observations asnecessary in the interest of providing optimum protection for human rights, towhich end shall develop mechanisms for remaining in constant communication
with national and international public and private organs for the protection anddefense of human rights.
11. To promote and implement policies for the expansion and effective protection ofhuman rights.
12. Such other functions as may be established by the Constitution and by law.

Article 282
The People Defender shall enjoy immunity in the exercise of his functions, and therefore
shall not be subject to pursuit, arrest or prosecution for acts relating to the performanceof his official functions. In any such case, exclusive competence shall be vested in theSupreme Tribunal of Justice.

Article 283
Matters relating to the organization and functioning of the People Defender’s Office at
the municipal, state, national, and special levels shall be determined by law. The
activities of this Office shall be governed by the principles of gratuitous service,accessibility, dispatch, freedom from formalities, and proceeding on own initiative.

Section Three. Office of Public Prosecutions
Attorney general

Article 284
The Office of Public Prosecutions shall be under the direction and responsibility of theGeneral Prosecutor of the Republic, who shall perform his functions directly, with theassistance of such officials as may be determined by law.
To be General Prosecutor of the Republic, a person must meet the same eligibility
requirements that apply to justices of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice. The General
Prosecutor of the Republic shall be designated for a seven year term.

Article 285
The following are functions of the Office of Public Prosecutions:
1. In judicial proceedings, to guarantee respect for constitutional rights andguarantees, as well as those deriving from international treaties, agreements
and conventions signed by the Republic.
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2. To guarantee the speedy trail of the judicial process, the right to previous trial
and a due process.
3. To order and direct criminal investigation of the perpetration of punishable acts,with a view to establishing that the same were committed, with all
circumstances that may be relevant to stating the offense and establishing the
responsibility of the perpetrators and other participants, as well as to secure
custody of the objects actively and passively concerned with the perpetration of
the offense.
4. To conduct on behalf of the State criminal prosecutions in those cases in which no
initiative on the part of a party is required in order to initiate or continue suchprosecution, with the exceptions established by law.
5. To file any appropriate actions to hold liable public officials who have incurredcivil, labor, military, criminal, administrative or disciplinary liability the course of
their official duties.
6. Any other functions that may be assigned to this office by the Constitution andby law.
These attributions do not discredit the exercise of any rights or actions to which private
parties or other officials may be entitled in accordance with this Constitution and thelaw.

Article 286
Matters relating to the organization and functioning of the Office of Public Prosecutions
at the municipal, state and national levels shall be determined by law, providing theappropriate measures to ensure the suitability, probity and stable tenure of theattorneys of the Office of Public Prosecutions. Rules to guarantee the exercise of thesefunctions by career personnel shall also be established by law.

Section Four. Office of the General Comptroller of the Republic
Article 287
The Office of the General Comptroller of the Republic is the organ that controls,
watches and audits revenues, expenses, public and national property and transactions
relating to the same. It enjoys operating, administrative and organizational autonomy,
and concentrates its activities on functions relating to inspection of the organs andentities under its oversight.

Article 288
The Office of the General Comptroller of the Republic shall be under the direction andresponsibility of the General Comptroller of the Republic, who must be Venezuelan, over
30 years of age and possessed of proven ability and experience for purposes of
performing the duties of the position.
The General Comptroller of the Republic shall be designated for a seven-year term.

Article 289
The following are functions of the General Comptroller of the Republic:
1. To control, make vigilance and audit public revenues, expenses and property, as
well as transactions relating to the same, without prejudice to the functions
vested in other organs, in the case of the States and Municipalities, in accordancewith law.
2. To control the public debt, without prejudice to the functions vested in otherorgans, in the case of the States and Municipalities, in accordance with law.
3. To inspect and audit the public-sector, organs, entities and juridical persons
subject to his control, conduct audits, order the opening of investigations into
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3. irregularities against public patrimony, as well as order measures, raisingobjections and applying administrative penalties as appropriate, in accordancewith law.
4. To call on the General Prosecutor of the Republic to file the appropriate legal
actions with regard to in actions and crimes committed against public patrimony,of which becomes aware in the course of performing his official functions.
5. To exercise operating control and evaluate compliance with and the results ofthe public policies and decisions of the public-sector organs, entities and juridical
persons subject to his control, as regards their revenues, expenses and property.
6. Any other functions that may be vested in him by the Constitution and by law.

Article 290
Matters relating to the organization and functioning of the Office of the GeneralComptroller of the Republic and the national tax control system shall be determined bylaw.

Article 291
The Office of the General Comptroller of the Armed Forces is an integral part of thenational control system. It shall be in charge of vigilance, control and auditing of public
revenues, expenses and property allocated to the National Armed Forces and theirdependencies, without prejudice to the scope and competence of the Office of theGeneral Comptroller of the Republic. Its organization and functioning shall be
determined by the pertinent law, and shall be under the responsibility of the GeneralComptroller of the Armed Forces, who shall be designated by means of a competitive
process.

Chapter V. Electoral Power
Article 292
Electoral Power is exercised by the National Electoral Council as governing body, and by
the latter’s subordinate organs, the National Board of Elections, the Civil Status andVoter Registration Commission and the Commission on Political Participation and
Financing, with organization and functioning as established under the pertinent organic
law.
Electoral commission

Article 293
The following are functions of Electoral Power:
1. To regulate election laws and resolve any doubts and unregulated areas raisedby or contained in such laws.
2. To prepare its budget, concerning which it shall handle directly with the National
Assembly, and which it shall manage autonomously.
3. To issue binding directives in the field of political and electoral advertising andfinancing, and impose penalties when such directives are not abided by.
4. To declare elections null and void, either in whole or in part.
5. Organization, administration, direction and vigilance of all acts relating toelections to fill public offices by popular vote, as well as referenda.
6. To organize elections for labor unions, professional associations andorganizations pursuing political purposes, in accordance with applicableprovisions of law. Electoral Power shall also have the power to organize electoral
processes for other organizations in civil society, either at their request or byorder of the Electoral Division of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice. The entities,
organs and organizations concerned shall cover the costs of their election
processes.

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7. To maintain, organize, direct and supervise the Civil and Electoral Registry.
8. To organize the registration and enrollment of organizations pursuing a political
purposes, and see that such organizations comply with the provisions governing
their status, as set forth in the Constitution and law. In particular, Electoral
Power shall decide on applications for the founding, renewal and cancellation oforganizations for political purposes, the determination of their lawful authorities
and provisional names, colors and symbols.
9. To control, regulate and investigate the funds raised to finance organizations forpolitical purposes.
10. Such other functions as may be determined by law.
Electoral Power organs shall guarantee the equality, reliability, impartiality,transparency and efficiency of electoral processes, as well as implementation of thepersonalization of suffrage and proportional representation.

Article 294
The organs comprising Electoral Power are governed by principles of organic
independence, functional and budgetary autonomy, separation of the electoral organs
from the political parties, impartiality and citizen participation, as well as
decentralization of electoral administration, transparency and expeditiousness of thevoting process and tallying of votes.

Article 295
The Election Nominations Committee for candidates for membership seats on the
National Electoral Council shall be made up of representatives of the various different
sectors of society, as provided for by law.
Electoral commission

Article 296
The National Electoral Council shall consist of five members having no ties toorganizations for political purposes; three of these shall be nominated by civil society,one by the schools of law and political science of the national universities, and one by the
Citizen Power.
The three members nominated by civil society shall have six alternates in ordinalsequence, and each of the members designated by the universities and Citizen Powershall have respectively two alternates. The National Board of Elections, the Civil Status
and Voter Registration Commission and the Commission on Political Participation and
Financing shall each be presided over by a member designated by civil society. The
members of the National Electoral Council shall hold office for seven years and shall beelected separately: the three nominated by civil society at the beginning of each term ofoffice of the National Assembly , and the other two halfway through such term of office.
The members of the National Electoral Council shall be designated by a two thirds voteof the members of the National Assembly. The members of the National Electoral
Council will designate their President among them in accordance with the Law.
The members of the National Electoral Council shall be subject to removal by the
National Assembly, following a ruling of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice.

Article 297
The contentious electoral jurisdiction shall be exercised by the Electoral Section of theSupreme Tribunal of Justice and any other Courts established by law.

Article 298
The law regulating electoral process shall not be in any form modified in the period
between the elections day and the preceding six months.

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TITLE VI. SOCIOECONOMIC SYSTEM
Chapter I. Socioeconomic Order and the Function of theState in the Economy
Reference to fraternity/solidarity

Article 299
The economic regime of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is based on the principles
of social justice, democratization, efficiency, free competition, protection of theenvironment, productivity and solidarity, with a view to ensuring overall humandevelopment and a dignified and useful existence for the community. The State, jointlywith private initiative, shall promote the harmonious development of the national
economy, to the end of generating sources of employment, a high rate of domestic
added value, raising the standard of living of the population and strengthen theeconomical sovereignty of the country, guaranteeing the reliability of the law; the solid,
dynamic, sustainable, continuing and equitable growth of the economy to ensure a justdistribution of wealth through participatory democratic strategic planning with open
consultation.

Article 300
National laws shall establish the conditions for the creation of functionally decentralized
entities to carry out social or entrepreneurial activities, with a view to ensuring thereasonable economic and social productivity of the public resources invested in suchactivities.

Article 301
The State reserves to itself the use of trade policy to protect the economic activities ofpublic and private Venezuelan enterprises. Business enterprises, organs or persons offoreign nationality shall not be granted with regimes more advantageous than thoseestablished for Venezuelan nationals. Foreign investment is subject to the same
conditions as domestic investment.
Ownership of natural resources

Article 302
The State reserves to itself, through the pertinent organic law, and for reasons ofnational expediency, the petroleum industry and other industries, operations and goods
and services which are in the public interest and of a strategic nature. The State shallpromote the domestic manufacture of raw materials deriving from the exploitation of
nonrenewable natural resources, with a view to assimilating, creating and inventing
technologies, generating employment and economic growth and creating wealth andwell-being for the people.

Article 303
For reasons of economic and political sovereignty and national strategy, the State shallretain all shares of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. or the organ created to manage thepetroleum industry, with the exception of subsidiaries, strategic joint ventures, businessenterprises and any other venture established or coming in the future to be established
as a consequence of the carrying on of the business of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A.
Ownership of natural resources

Article 304
All waters are property in the Nation’s public domain, essential to life and development.
The necessary provisions shall be established by law to guarantee the protection,utilization, and recuperation thereof, respecting the phases of the hydrological cycle andzoning criteria.

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Article 305
The State shall promote sustainable agriculture as the strategic basis for overall ruraldevelopment, and consequently shall guarantee the population a secure food supply,
defined as the sufficient and stable availability of food within the national sphere andtimely and uninterrupted access to the same for consumers. A secure food supply mustbe achieved by developing and prioritizing internal agricultural and livestock production,
understood as production deriving from the activities of agriculture, livestock, fishing
and aquiculture. Food production is in the national interest and is fundamental to theeconomic and social development of the Nation. To this end, the State shall promulgate
such financial, commercial, technological transfer, land tenancy, infrastructure,
manpower training and other measures as may be necessary to achieve strategic levelsof self-sufficiency. In addition, it shall promote actions in the national and international
economic context to compensate for the disadvantages inherent to agricultural activity.
The State shall protect the settlement and communities of non industrialized fishermen,
as well as their fishing banks in continental waters and those close to the coastline, as
defined by law.

Article 306
The State shall promote conditions for overall rural development, for the purpose ofgenerating employment and ensuring the rural population an adequate level of wellbeing, as well as their inclusion in national development. It shall likewise promoteagricultural activity and optimum land use by providing infrastructure projects, supplies,
loans, training services and technical assistance.

Article 307
The predominance of large land estates is contrary to the interests of society.
Appropriate tax law provisions shall be enacted to tax fallow lands and establish thenecessary measures to transform them into productive economic units, likewise
recovering arable land. Farmers and other agricultural producers are entitled to own
land, in the cases and forms specified under the pertinent law. The State shall protect
and promote associative and private forms of property in such manner as to guarantee
agricultural production. The State shall see to the sustainable ordering of arable land toguarantee its food producing potential.
In exceptional cases, quasi-tax contributions shall be created to provide funds forfinancing, research, technical assistance, transfer of technology and other activities that
promote the productivity and competitiveness of the agricultural sector. These mattersshall be appropriately regulated by law.

Article 308
The State shall protect and promote small and medium-sized manufacturers,
cooperatives, savings funds, family owned businesses, small businesses and any otherform of community association for purposes of work, savings and consumption, under anarrangement of collective ownership, to strength the country’s economic development,
based on the initiative of the people. Training, technical assistance and appropriate
financing shall be guaranteed.

Article 309
Typical Venezuelan crafts and folk industries shall enjoy the special protection of theState, in order to preserve their authenticity, and they shall receive credit facilities topromote production and marketing.

Article 310
Tourism is an economic activity in the national interest, and represents a high priority inthe country’s strategy of diversification and sustainable development. As part of thefoundation of the socioeconomic regime contemplated by this Constitution, the State

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shall promulgate measures to guarantee the development of tourism. The State shallsee to the creation and strengthening of a national tourist industry.

Chapter II. Tax and Monetary System
Section One. Budget System
Article 311
Fiscal Policy shall be governed and implemented on principles of efficiency, solvency,transparency, responsibility and fiscal balance. Fiscal Policy is to be balanced over a
multiyear budget framework, in such manner that ordinary revenues shall be sufficient
to cover ordinary expenses.
The National Executive shall submit for enactment by the National Assembly amultiyear framework for budgeting that establishes the maximum limits of expendituresand indebtedness to be contemplated in national budgets. The characteristics of thisframework, the requirements for modifying the same and the terms for carrying out thesame shall be established by law.
Any revenues generated by exploiting underground wealth and minerals, in general,shall be used to finance real productive investment, education and health.
The principles and provisions established for national economic and financial
management shall also govern that of the States and Municipalities, to the extent
applicable.

Article 312
Public debt limits shall be set by law in accordance with a prudent level in terms of thesize of the economy, reproductive investment and the ability to generate revenues tocover public debt service. In order to be valid, public credit transactions shall require a
special law authorizing them, with the exceptions established under the pertinentorganic law. The special law shall indicate the modalities of the transactions andauthorize the appropriate budget credits in the pertinent budget law.
The annual special indebtedness law shall be submitted to the National Assembly
together with the budget law.
The State shall not recognize any obligations other than those assumed by lawful
National Authority organs in accordance with law.
Budget bills

Article 313
The economic and financial management of the State shall be governed by a budget
approved annually by law. The National Executive shall submit the draft Budget Act to
the National Assembly, at the time prescribed by the organic act. If the Executive Power
fails for any reason to submit the budget bill within the time limit established by law, orthe bill is rejected, the budget for the current fiscal year shall remain in effect.
The National Assembly shall have the power to alter budget items, but shall not
authorize measures leading to a decrease in public revenues or to expenses exceeding
the estimated revenue amounts in the budget bill.
In submitting the multiyear budget framework, the special indebtedness law and theannual budget, the National Executive Branch shall explicitly state the long term
objectives of fiscal Policy and explain how these objectives are to be achieved, in
accordance with principles of responsibility and a fiscal balance.

Article 314
No expense of any kind shall be disbursed unless the same has been provided for in thebudget law. Additional budget credit items may be ordered to cover essential
unforeseen expenses or items that had not been adequately funded, only if the treasury
has resources to cover the expenditure concerned; this shall be done only following a
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vote in favor by the Cabinet of Ministers and authorization by the National Assembly, orin its absence, by the Delegated Committee.

Article 315
In the annual public expense budgets at all levels of government, the specific objective
to which each credit item in the budget is addressed shall be clearly established, as wellas the concrete results expected and the public officials responsible for achieving theseresults. The latter shall be established in quantitative terms, by means of performanceindicators, where this is technically possible. The Executive Power shall submit to the
National Assembly within six months of the close of the fiscal year the annual
accounting and budget implementation balance sheet for such fiscal year.

Section Two. Taxation System
Article 316
The taxation system shall seek a fair distribution of public burdens in accordance withthe taxpayer’s ability to pay, taking into account the principle of progressive taxation, as
well as protection of the national economy and raising the standard of living of the
population, the foundation therefore being an efficient system for the collection of taxes.

Article 317
No tax, assessment or contribution of any kind shall be collected unless it is establishedby law, and no exemptions, abatements or other types of tax incentives shall be granted
except as provided for by law. No tax shall have a confiscatory effect.
No tax obligations payable in personal services shall be established. Tax evasion may bepunished as a criminal offense, without prejudice to other penalties established by law.
In case of officials they shall be punished double.
Every tax law shall specify the interval that is to lapse before it goes into effect. In theabsence of such provision, the period shall be understood as being 60 calendar days.
This provision shall not restrict the extraordinary powers to be granted by the National
Executive in the cases provided for by this Constitution.
The national tax administration shall enjoy technical, operating and financial autonomy
in accordance with legislation approved by the National Assembly, and its maximum
authority shall be designated by the President of the Republic, in accordance with therules laid down in the pertinent law.

Section Three. National Monetary System
Central bank

Article 318
The monetary competence of National Authority shall necessarily be exercised
exclusively by the Venezuelan Central Bank. The fundamental objective of the
Venezuelan Central Bank is to achieve price stability and preserve the internal andforeign exchange value of the monetary unit. The monetary unit of the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela is the Bolivar. In the event a common currency is instituted within
the framework of Latin American and Caribbean integration, it shall be permissible toadopt the currency provided for by a treaty signed by the Republic.
The Venezuelan Central Bank is a public-law juridical person with autonomy toformulate and implement policies within its sphere of competence. The Venezuelan
Central Bank shall perform its functions in coordination with general economic policy, in
the interest of attaining the higher objectives of the State and the Nation.
In order to provide for the adequate attainment of its objective, the functions of the
Venezuelan Central Bank shall include those of formulating and implementing monetary
policy, participating in the design of and implementing foreign exchange policy, currency
regulation, credit and interest rate, administrating international reserves and any others
established by law.

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Article 319
The Venezuelan Central Bank shall be governed by the principle of public responsibility,
to which end it shall render an accounting of its actions, goals and the results of its
policies to the National Assembly, in accordance with law. It shall also issue periodic
reports on the behavior of the country’s macroeconomic variables and on any othermatters concerning which reports may be requested, including sufficient analysis topermit its evaluation. Failure to meet the objective and goals, without justifiable cause
shall result in removal of the Board of Directors and imposition of administrative
penalties, in accordance with law.
The Venezuelan Central Bank shall be subject to oversight after the fact by the Office of
the General Comptroller of the Republic and inspection and supervision by the public
entity that supervises banking, which shall send to the National Assembly reports on
the inspections it conducts. The budget of operating expenses of the Venezuelan Central
Bank shall require discussion and approval by the National Assembly, and its accounts
and balance sheets shall be subjected to independent audits on such terms as may beestablished by law.

Section Four. Macroeconomic Coordination
Central bank

Article 320
The State shall promote and defend economic stability, prevent the vulnerability of theeconomy and see to monetary and price stability, in order to ensure the welfare ofsociety.
The ministry responsible for finance and the Venezuelan Central Bank shall contribute to
the harmony between fiscal and monetary policy, thereby facilitating the attainment ofmacroeconomic objectives. In performing its functions, the Central Bank of Venezuela
shall not be subject to directives from the National Executive and shall not be permitted
to endorse or finance deficit fiscal policies.
The coordinated actions of the National Executive and the Venezuelan Central Bank
shall be achieved through an annual policy agreement which shall establish the final
growth objectives and their repercussion on society, the external balance of payments
and inflation, as regards fiscal, foreign exchange and monetary policy; as well as thelevels of intermediate and instrumental variables required in order to achieve theaforementioned final objectives. This agreement shall be signed by the President of the
Venezuelan Central Bank and the head of the ministry responsible for finance, and shallbe made public at the time of approval of the budget by the National Assembly. It is the
responsibility of the signers of the agreement to see that policy actions are consistent
with the objectives. The aforementioned agreement shall specify the results expected
and the policies and actions designed to achieve the same. The characteristics of theannual economic policy agreement and the mechanisms for submitting an accounting
shall be established by law.

Article 321
A macroeconomic stabilization fund shall be established by law for the purpose ofguaranteeing the stability of the State’s expenses at the national, regional and municipal
levels, in the face of fluctuations in ordinary revenues. The operating rules for this fundshall observe the basic principles of efficiency, fairness and nondiscrimination as
between the public organs contributing resources to the fund.

TITLE VII. NATIONAL SECURITY
Chapter I. General Provisions

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Article 322
National security is an essential competence and responsibility of the State, based on
the overall development of the latter, and its defense is the responsibility of all
Venezuelans, as well as of all public and private law natural and juridical persons within
the geographical limits of Venezuela.

Article 323
The National Defense Council is the highest consultative organ for planning and advising
the Public Power as to matters relating to the overall defense of the Nation, its
sovereignty and the integrity of its geographical space. To this end, it is also charged
with establishing the Nation’s strategic concept. Presided over by the President of the
Republic, it also includes the Executive Vice President, the President of the National
Assembly, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, the Chairman of the
Republican Ethic Council and the Ministers of Defense, Internal Security, Foreign
Relations and Planning, and any others whose participation may be deemed appropriate.
The pertinent organic law shall determine the organization and attributions of the
National Defense Council.

Article 324
Only the State shall be permitted to possess and use weapons of war; any such weapons
which now exist or are manufactured in or imported into the country shall become theproperty of the Republic, without compensation or proceedings. The National Armed
Forces shall be the institution of competence to regulate and control, in accordance withthe pertinent legislation, the manufacture, importing, exporting, storage, transit,
registration, control, inspection, marketing, possession and use or other weapons,
munitions and explosives.

Article 325
The National Executive reserves the right to classify and control disclosure of matters
directly relating to the planning and execution of operations concerning national
security, on such terms as may be established by law.

Chapter II. Principles of National Security
Reference to fraternity/solidarity

Article 326
National security is based on shared responsibility between the State and civil society to
implement the principles of independence, democracy, equality, peace, freedom, justice,solidarity, promotion and conservation of the environment and affirmation of humanrights, as well as on that of progressively meeting the individual and collective needs ofVenezuelans, based on a sustainable and productive development policy providing fullcoverage for the national community. The principle of shared responsibility applies tothe economic, social, political, cultural, geographical, environmental and militaryspheres.

Article 327
Attention to borders is a priority matter in the enforcement and application of national
security principles. To this end, a border security belt is established, with width, special
economic and social regimes, settlement and utilization. shall be regulated by law, withspecial protection for national parks and other areas under special administrative
arrangements, as well as the habitat of the native people settled in the areas concerned.

Chapter III. The National Armed Forces

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Article 328
The National Armed Forces constitute an essentially professional institution, with nopolitical orientation, organized by the State to guarantee the independence andsovereignty of the Nation and ensure the integrity of its geographical space, throughmilitary defense, cooperation for the purpose of maintaining internal order and active
participation in national development, in accordance with this Constitution and the law.
In performing their functions, they are at the exclusive service of the Nation, and in nocase at the service of any person or political partisanship. The pillars on which they arefounded are discipline, obedience and subordination. The National Armed Forces consistof the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the National Guard, which function in an
integrated manner within the scope of their competence to fulfill their mission, with theirown overall Social Security system, as established under the pertinent organic law.

Article 329
The Army, Navy and Air Force have as their essential responsibility the planning,
execution and control of military operations as required to ensure the defense of the
Nation. The National Guard shall cooperate in the carrying out of these operations, andshall have as its basic responsibility that of conducting operations as required tomaintain internal order within the country. The National Armed Forces shall carry out
activities of administrative policing and criminal investigation activities as provided forby law.
Restrictions on the armed forces

Article 330
Members of the National Armed Forces on active duty have the right to vote inaccordance with law, but are not permitted to run for any office filled by popular vote,nor to participate in acts of political advertising, militancy or proselytizing.

Selection of active-duty commanders

Article 331
Military promotions shall be in accordance with merit, hierarchy and vacancies. They are
the exclusive prerogative of the National Armed Forces, and shall be regulated by thepertinent law.

Chapter IV. Civilian Security Organs
Human dignity

Article 332
The National Executive, in accordance with law, to maintain, and restore public order;
protect citizens, homes and families; support the decisions of the competent authorities
and ensure the peaceful enjoyment of constitutional guarantees and rights, shallorganize:
1. A uniformed national police corps.
2. A scientific, criminal and criminological investigation corps.
3. A civilian fire department and emergency management corps.
4. A civil defense and disaster management organization.
Organs of civilian security are of civil nature and shall respect human dignity and humanrights, without discrimination of any kind.
The functions of the civilian security organs constitute a concurrent competence withthose of the States and Municipalities, on the terms established in this Constitution andthe law.

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TITLE VIII. PROTECTION OF THE
CONSTITUTION
Chapter I. Guarantee of the Constitution
Article 333
This Constitution shall not cease to be in effect if it ceases to be observed due to acts offorce or because or repeal in any manner other than as provided for herein.
In such eventuality, every citizen, whether or not vested with official authority, has aduty to assist in bringing it back into actual effect.

Article 334
All of the judges of the Republic, within their respective spheres of competence and inaccordance with the provisions of this Constitution and law, are obligated to ensure theintegrity of the Constitution.
In the event of incompatibility between the Constitution and a law or other juridical
provision, the provisions of the Constitution shall prevail, being the responsibility of thecourts to rule accordingly in any case, even ex officio.
The Constitutional Division of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, as court of constitutional
competence, shall have the exclusive power to declare the nullity of laws and other actsof organs exercising Public Power which are issued by way of direct and immediate
implementation of the Constitution or have the status of law.

Article 335
The Supreme Tribunal of Justice shall guarantee the supremacy and efficacy ofconstitutional rules and principles; it shall be the supreme and ultimate interpreter of theConstitution and shall see to the uniform interpretation and application of the same.
Interpretations established by the Constitutional Division concerning the contents orscope of constitutional rules and principles are binding on the other division of theSupreme Tribunal of Justice and on all of the other courts of the Republic.
Constitutional interpretation
Constitutionality of legislation

Article 336
The following are functions of the Constitutional Division of the Supreme Tribunal of
Justice:
1. To declare the nullity, in whole or in part, of national laws and other acts of
National Assembly with the force of law, which are in conflict with thisConstitution.

Federal review of subnational legislation

2. To declare the nullity, in whole or in part, of state Constitutions and laws,
municipal ordinances and other acts of the deliberating bodies of the States andMunicipalities which are issued by way of direct and immediate implementationof the Constitution and are in conflict with the same.
3. To declare the nullity, in whole or in part, of acts of the National Executive withthe force of law, which are in conflict with this Constitution.
4. To declare the nullity, in whole or in part, of acts issued by way of direct andimmediate implementation of the Constitution by any other government organ
exercising Public Power.

Legal status of treaties

5. To verify, at the request of the President of the Republic or the National
Assembly, the constitutionality of international treaties signed by the Republic,

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5. prior to ratification of the same.
Head of state decree power

6. To review in all cases, even ex officio, the constitutionality of decree of the
President of the Republic decreeing states of exception.
7. To declare the unconstitutionality of omissions on the part of the municipal,
state, national or legislatures, in failing to promulgate rules or measures essential
to guaranteeing compliance with the Constitution, or promulgating it in an
incomplete manner; and to establish the time limit and, where necessary,guidelines for correcting the deficiencies.
8. To resolve any conflicts existing between different provisions of law, and declarewhich of the same must prevail.
9. To resolve constitutional controversies arising between any of the organs of
Public Power.

Right to amparo

10. To review judgments embodying constitutional protective orders or control on
the constitutionality of laws or juridical rules, handed down by the courts of the
Republic, on the terms established by the pertinent organic law.
11. Any other functions established by this Constitution or by law.

Emergency provisions

Chapter II. States of Exception
Article 337
The President of the Republic, at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, shall have thepower to decree states of exception. Expressly defined as such are circumstances of asocial, economic, political, natural or ecological nature which seriously affect the securityof the Nation, institutions and citizens, in the face of which the powers available to copewith such events are insufficient. In such case, the guarantees contained in thisConstitution may be temporarily restricted, with the exception of those relating to theright to life, prohibition of incommunicative detention or torture, the right to due
process, the right to information and other intangible human rights.

Article 338
A state of alarm may be declared when catastrophes, public calamities or other similar
events occur, seriously endangering the security of the Nation or its citizens. Such stateof exception shall last for up to 30 days, and may be extended for an additional 30 days.
A state of economic emergency may be declared when extraordinary economic
circumstances arise, such as to affect seriously the economic life of the Nation. The
duration of this state of emergency shall be 60 days, with the possibility of extension forthe same period.
A state of internal or external commotion may be declared in the event of an internal orexternal conflict seriously endangering the security of the Nation, its citizens or its
institutions. Such state of commotion shall last for up to 90 days, and may be extended
for an additional 90 days.
The National Assembly has the responsibility of the approval for the extension of thestates of exemption. An organic law shall regulate states of exception and determine
the measures that may be adopted based on them.
International human rights treaties

Article 339
The Decree declaring a state of exception, which shall provide for regulating the rightwhose guarantee is restricted, shall be submitted within eight days of promulgation for
consideration and approval by the National Assembly, or Delegated Committee and fora ruling by the Constitutional Division of the Supreme Tribunal or Justice on its
constitutionality. The Decree must be in compliance with the requirements, principles
and guarantees established in the International Pact on Civil and Political flights and theAmerican Convention on Human Rights. The President of the Republic shall have thepower to request its extension for a similar period, and the Decree shall be revoked by

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the National Executive or by the National Assembly or the latter’s DelegatedCommittee prior to the indicated date of expiration upon cessation of the conditions
which produced them.
The declaration of a state of exception does not interrupt the functioning of the organsof the Public Power.
Constitution amendment procedure

TITLE IX. CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
Chapter I. Amendments
Article 340
The purpose of an amendment is to add to or modify one or more articles of theConstitution, without altering the fundamental structure of the same.

Article 341
The procedure for adopting amendments to the Constitution shall be as follows:
1. The initiative may emanate from 15% of the citizens registered with the Civil andElectoral Registry, from 39% of the members of the National Assembly or fromthe President of the Republic, sitting with the Cabinet of Ministers.
2. When the initiative emanates from the National Assembly, the amendment shallrequire approval by a majority of the members of that body, and shall be debatedin accordance with the procedure established under this Constitution for theenactment of laws.
3. Electoral Power shall submit the amendments to a referendum within 30 days offormally receiving the same.
4. Amendments shall be deemed approved in accordance with the provisions of thisConstitution and the law concerning the approval referendum.
5. Amendments shall be numbered consecutively and shall be published beneaththe Constitution without altering the text of the latter, but with an annotation at
the bottom of the amended article(s) of the number and date of the amendment
modifying the same.

Chapter II. Constitutional Reform
Article 342
The purpose of constitutional reform is to effect a partial revision of this Constitution
and replacement of one or more of the provisions hereof, without modifying thefundamental principles and structure of the text of the Constitution.
The initiative for a constitutional reform emanates from the National Assembly, byresolution approved by a majority vote of the members, from the President of the
Republic sitting with the Cabinet of Ministers, or at the request of registered votersconstituting at least 15% of the total number registered with the Civil and Electoral
Registry.

Article 343
The initiative for a constitution reform shall be processed by the National Assembly as
follows:
1. The draft constitutional reform shall be debated for the first time during thelegislative session during which it is submitted.
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2. Second debate title by title or chapter by chapter, as applicable.
3. Third and last debate article by article.
4. The National Assembly shall approve the draft constitutional reform in a time
period no later than two years, counted since the date the reform application was
submitted and approved.
5. The draft constitutional reform shall be approved with a two third members voteof the National Assembly.

Article 344
Once approved by the National Assembly, the draft constitutional reform shall be
submitted to a referendum within 30 days from its approval. The referendum shall passon the reform as a whole, but up to one third of the same may be voted on separately, if
at least one third of the National Assembly so agrees, or if in the initiative for thereform, the President of the Republic or a number of registered voters equivalent to atleast 5% of the total registered with the Civil and Electoral Registry so requests.

Article 345
The constitutional reform shall be declared approved if the number of affirmative votes
is greater than the number of negative votes. A revised constitutional reform initiative
may not be submitted during the same constitutional term of office of the National
Assembly.

Article 346
The President of the Republic shall be obligated to promulgate Amendments andReforms within ten days of their approval. If he fails to do so, the applicable provisions of
this Constitution shall apply.

Chapter III. National Constituent Assembly
Article 347
The original constituent power rests with the people of Venezuela. This power may be
exercised by calling a National Constituent Assembly for the purpose of transforming
the State, creating a new juridical order and drawing up a new Constitution.

Article 348
The initiative for calling a National Constituent Assembly may emanate from the
President of the Republic sitting with the Cabinet of Ministers; from the National
Assembly, by a two thirds vote of its members; from the Municipal Councils in open
session, by a two-thirds vote of their members; and from 15% of the voters registeredwith the Civil and Electoral Registry.

Article 349
The President of the Republic shall not have the power to object to the newConstitution. The existing constituted authorities shall not be permitted to obstruct theConstituent Assembly in any way. For purposes of the promulgation of the newConstitution, the same shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Republic ofVenezuela or in the Gazette of the Constituent Assembly.
Right to overthrow government

Article 350
The people of Venezuela, true to their republican tradition and their struggle forindependence, peace and freedom, shall disown any regime, legislation or authority that
violates democratic values, principles and guarantees or encroaches upon human rights.

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SOLE DEROGATION PROVISIONThe Constitution of the Republic of Venezuela decreed on January 23, 1961 is hereby
derogated. The rest of the juridical order shall remain in effect to the extent not in
conflict with this Constitution.
Transitional provisions

TEMPORARY PROVISIONSFirst
The special law on the regime for the Capital District as provided for under article 18 of
this Constitution shall be approved by the National Constituent Assembly, and shallpreserve the territorial integrity of the State of Miranda. Pending approval of the speciallaw, the regime provided for under the Organic Law on the Federal District and theOrganic Law on the Municipal Regime shall remain in effect.

SecondPending enactment of the law provided for under article 38 of this Constitution
concerning the acquisition, election, renunciation and recovery of nationality, foreign
individuals who, having entered and remained within the national territory legally anddeclared their intention of establishing their domicile in Venezuela, have a lawful meansof earning a living and have resided continuously in Venezuela for two years, shall be
regarded as domiciled in Venezuela.
Residence shall be understood as meaning continuing presence in the country with theintention of remaining. Declarations of intent as provided for under articles 32, 33 and
36 of this Constitution shall be made in the form of an authentic instrument by theinterested party, when the latter is of legal age, or by his legal representative , if he has
not yet reached the age of 21.

Third
The National Assembly, within six months of its installation, shall pass:
1. A partial reform of the Penal Code to include the offense of forced disappearanceof persons, as provided for under article 45 of this Constitution. Pending
enactment of this reform, the Inter-American Convention on the Forced
Disappearance of Persons shall apply insofar as possible.
2. An organic law on states of exception.
3. A special law to establish the conditions and characteristics of a special regime
for the Municipalities of Jose Antonio Paez and Romulo Gallegos, in the State ofApure. In the process of formulating this law, the opinions of the President of the
Republic, the National Armed Forces, such representation as may be designatedby the corresponding State and all other institutions involved in border problems
shall be heard.

FourthWithin one year of installation, the National Assembly shall approve:
1. Legislation on penalties for torture, either in the form of a special law or byreforming the Penal Code.
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2. An organic law on refugees and asylum guarantees, consistent with the terms ofthis Constitution and the pertinent international treaties ratified by Venezuela.
3. By reforming the Organic Labor Law, a new regime for the right of employees
regarding severance payments as regulated in article 92 which regime shallprovide for severance payments calculated in proportion to the time served andcalculated according with the last salary earned, establishing a statute oflimitation for this right of ten (10) years. Until such reformed law goes into effect,
the seniority benefit arrangement established under the present Organic Labor
Law currently in force shall temporarily remain in effect. Likewise a set of overall
standards regulating the working day and promoting the progressive reduction
thereof shall be included, on the terms contemplated under the International
Labor Organization agreements and conventions signed by the Republic.
4. An organic procedural labor law guaranteeing the functioning of an autonomousand specialized labor jurisdiction and protection for workers on the terms
provided for in this Constitution and the law. The organic labor procedural law
shall be guided by the principles of gratuitous service, expeditiousness, oralproceedings, immediacy, priority on the reality of the facts, equity and guiding
authority of the judge in the proceedings.
5. The legislation relating to the Judicial System, National Public Administration,
Citizen Power, Electoral Power, tax laws, Budgeting Law, and Public Credit Law.
An organic law on public defense. Until this law is passed, the Commission on the
Functioning and Restructuring of the Judicial System shall be in charge of thedevelopment and effective functioning of the Autonomous Public Defender
System, in order to guarantee the right to a defense.
6. A law developing the public finances of the States, establishing, in a mannerconsistent with the principles and rules of this Constitution, the taxes included in
the same, the mechanisms for their application and the provisions regulatingthem.
7. Legislation developing the constitutional principles concerning municipal regime.
In accordance with such legislation, the legislative organs of the States shallproceed to pass the normative instruments appropriate to the organizational
powers assigned to them with respect to the Municipalities and other localorgans, and the territorial political divisions in each jurisdiction. The existing
Municipalities and parishes shall continue existing until they have been adapted
to the new regime provided for under such legislation.
8. The law by which the Venezuelan Central Bank is to be governed. Among othermatters, this law shall provide for the scope of the functions and manner oforganization of this entity; the functions, term of office, manner of election,
removal, incompatibilities, regime and requirements for the designation of its
Chairman and Directors; the accounting rules for establishing its reserves andthe manner in which its profits are to be applied; the annual independent audit ofaccounts and balances by firms of specialists selected by the National Executive
and subsequent control by the Office of the General Comptroller of the Republicregarding the legality, sincerity, opportunity, efficacy and efficiency of theadministrative activity of the Venezuelan Central Bank.
The law shall provide the Chairman and other members of the Board of Directorsof the Venezuelan Central Bank shall represent exclusively the national interest,
to which end it shall provide for public proceedings to evaluate the merits andcredentials of candidates for the aforementioned positions.
The law shall provide that the Executive Power shall have the power todesignate no less than half of the Directors as well as the Chairman of the
Venezuelan Central Bank, and shall establish the terms for participation by theLegislative Power in the designation and ratification of these authorities.
9. A law of national police corp. This law shall establish the mechanism for the
integration of terrestrial transport and transit vigilance to the national police
corps.

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Fifth
Within one year of the effective date of this Constitution, the National Assembly shallenact a reformed Organic Tax Code establishing, among other matters:
1. Strict interpretation of tax laws and rules, bearing in mind their purpose and theireconomic significance, in order to eliminate ambiguities.
2. The elimination of exceptions to the principle of non-retroactivity of the law.
3. Expansion of the concept of imputed income, in order to provide the Tax
Administration with better instruments.
4. Elimination of the statute of limitations for serious tax offenses, which must be
defined in the Organic Tax Code.
5. Increase penalties for advisors, law firms, independent auditors and otherprofessionals who act in complicity for the purpose of committing tax offenses,
including periods of suspension from the practice of their professions.
6. Increase penalties and the severity of the sanctions for tax evasion crimes
increasing the periods for the statute of limitations.
7. Revision of mitigating and aggravating circumstances considered in imposing
penalties, in order to make them stricter.
8. Extend the audit powers of the Tax Administration.
9. Increase the rate of default interest in order to discourage tax evasion.
10. Extension of the principle of solidarity to make it possible to reach the assets of
Directors or tax advisors in cases they validate tax offenses.
11. Introduction of more expeditious administrative procedures.

Sixth
Within two years, the National Assembly shall pass legislation on all matter relating tothis Constitution. Priority shall be given to the Organic Laws on Native People, on
Education, and on Borders.

SeventhFor purposes of article 125 of this Constitution, pending approval of the pertinentorganic law, the election of native representatives to the National Assembly and theState and Municipal Legislative Councils shall be governed by the following nomination
requirements and mechanisms:
All native organizations or communities shall have the right to nominate native
candidates.
It is a requirement for being a candidate to speak their native language and meet atleast one of the following conditions:
1. Have exercised position of traditional Authority in the correspondent community.
2. Have an established record in the social struggle for recognition of thecorrespondent cultural identity.
3. Have taken action benefiting native people and communities.
4. Must belong to a legally constituted native organization that has been in
existence for at least three years.

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Three regions are to be established: West, consisting of the States of Zulia, Merida andTrujillo; South, consisting of the States of Amazonas and Apure; and East, consisting of
the States of Bolivar, Delta Amacuro, Monagas, Anzoategui, and Sucre.
Each of the states comprising the various regions shall elect one representative. The
national Electoral Council shall declare elected the candidate who receives a majority ofthe valid votes in his region or circumscription.
The native candidates shall appear on the ballot in their State or circumscription, and allof the voters in such State shall have the right to vote for them.
For purposes of native representation on the State Legislative Council and on the
Municipal Councils of Municipalities with a native population, the 1992 official census by
the Central Statistics and Data Processing Office shall be used as a reference
The elections shall be conducted in accordance with the rules and requirements
established herein.
The National Electoral Council shall guarantee compliance with the requirements set
forth herein, relying on support from experts in native affairs and native organizations.

EighthPending promulgation of the new electoral laws contemplated in this Constitution,
electoral processes shall be called, organized, directed and supervised by the National
Electoral Council.
For the first term of office of the National Electoral Council provided for under thisConstitution, all of the members shall be designated simultaneously. halfway throughthe term, two of the members shall be replaced in. accordance with the provisions of thepertinent organic law.

NinthPending enactment of the laws pertaining to chapter IV of title V, the Organic Law on
the Office of Public Prosecutions and the Organic Law on the Office of the GeneralComptroller of the Republic shall remain in effect. The head of the People Defender’s
Office shall be designated temporarily by the National Constituent Assembly. The
People Defender shall move forward as regards organizational structure, integration,
establishing of budget and physical infrastructure, based on the powers vested in him by
the Constitution.

Tenth
The provisions of article 167, section 4 of this Constitution concerning the obligation of
the States to apply at least 50% of the constitutional revenue share to investment, shallbe effective beginning January 1, 2001.

Eleventh
Pending enactment of national legislation governing vacant lands, the same shallcontinue to be administered by the National Power, in accordance with existinglegislation.

TwelfthThe demarcation of the native habitat as referred to in Article 119 of this Constitution,
shall be carried out within two years of the effective date of this Constitution.

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Thirteenth
Until the States assume under State law the powers referred to under article 164,
section 7 of this Constitution, the existing system shall remain in effect.

FourteenthPending enactment of the legislation developing the principles embodied in thisConstitution concerning municipal regime, the ordinances and other normative
instruments concerning municipalities shall remain in full effect as to the matters within
their competence and the separate tax competence they possess under the legal orderapplicable prior to adoption of this Constitution.

Fifteenth
Pending passage of the legislation referred to in article 105 of the Constitution, the legal
order applicable prior to adoption of this Constitution shall remain in effect.

Sixteenth
In order to protect the nation’s historical heritage, the Chronicler of the National
Constituent Assembly shall coordinate all necessary mechanisms to safeguard written
documents, videos, digital recordings, photographs, periodicals, audio and any otherforms of documentation prepared. All these documents shall remain under theprotection of the General Archives of the Nation.

Seventeenth
Once this Constitution has been approved, the name of the Republic shall be “Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela,” as provided for under article 1. It is the obligation of authorities
and institutions, both public and private, which are required to issue records, certificatesor any other documents, to use the name “Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela” effective
immediately.
For routine matters, administrative offices shall use up their existing stationery,
replacing the same progressively with conforming documentation, but in any casecompleting such replacement within five years.
The circulation of coins minted and banknotes issued with the name “Republic ofVenezuela” shall be regulated by the reform of the Venezuelan Central Bank Law
contemplated under the Fourth Temporary Provision of this Constitution, with a view tomake the transition to the name “Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.”

Eighteenth
In order to assure the application of article 113 of this Constitution, the National
Assembly shall pass a law establishing an entity which shall supervise, control andinspect the effective application of such principles and the provision and rules developingthem.
The person presiding or directing such entity shall be appointed with the majority of thevotes of the members of the National Assembly, with the favorable report of special
commission designated from the bosom of the National Assembly for such purposes.
The law shall establish the officer of the Public Administration and Judges in charge ofevaluating and deciding controversies related to the subjects referred to under sucharrangement, apply with priority and exclusive the principles regulated thereof and thatthey shall not apply any provision which may cause the opposite effect.
The law shall regulate the concessions for public services, the benefits for theconcessionaire and the financing of investments closely related to such public service,
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including upgrades and enlargement considered reasonably and approved by thecompetent authority.

Final ProvisionThis Constitution entered into force the same day of its publication in the Official
Gazette of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, after it was passed by the people ofVenezuela by way of referendum.
The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was passed by the people ofVenezuela by way of referendum on December 15, 1999, and was proclaimed by the
National Constituent Assembly in Caracas on December 20, 1999. 189th Year of
Independence and 140th of Federation.

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Topic index
A
Access to higher education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Accession of territory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Advisory bodies to the head of state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Approval or veto of general legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46, 47
Attorney general . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55, 60

BBinding effect of const rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Budget bills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

C
Cabinet removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50, 52
Cabinet selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Census . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Central bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67, 68
Citizenship of indigenous groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Claim of universal suffrage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Colonies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Compulsory education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Conditions for revoking citizenship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 11
Constitution amendment procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Constitutional court selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Constitutional court term length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Constitutional interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44, 71
Constitutionality of legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 44, 46, 71
Counter corruption commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Customary international law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

D
Deputy executive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48, 50, 51
Designation of commander in chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41, 50
Dismissal of the legislature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50, 51
Drugs, alcohol, and illegal substances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25, 31, 57
Duty to obey the constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 28
Duty to pay taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Duty to serve in the military . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Duty to work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

E
Economic plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41, 50
Electoral commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62, 63
Eligibility for cabinet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Eligibility for first chamber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Eligibility for head of state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Eligibility for supreme court judges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Emergency provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
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Equality regardless of creed or belief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Equality regardless of gender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 20
Equality regardless of race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Equality regardless of social status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Establishment of cabinet/ministers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Establishment of military courts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Extradition procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 57
Extraordinary legislative sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43, 50

F
Federal review of subnational legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
First chamber representation quotas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
First chamber reserved policy areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
First chamber selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Foreign affairs representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Free education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Freedom of assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Freedom of association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 16
Freedom of expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Freedom of movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Freedom of opinion/thought/conscience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Freedom of press . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15
Freedom of religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

G
General guarantee of equality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
God or other deities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Guarantee of due process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

H
Head of state decree power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50, 71
Head of state powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49, 50
Head of state removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 49, 56
Head of state replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Head of state selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Head of state term length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Human dignity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 12, 13, 14, 19, 70
Human rights commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

I
Immunity of legislators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Inalienable rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 13
Indigenous right to representation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, 27, 55
Initiation of general legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
International human rights treaties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 72
International law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 8, 9, 11, 17, 18, 22, 31, 41
International organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 31

J
Judicial independence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

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L
Leader of first chamber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Legal status of treaties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 71
Legislative committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Legislative initiatives by citizens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Legislative oversight of the executive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 51
Length of legislative sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Limits on employment of children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

M
Minimum age for first chamber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Minimum age of head of state . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Motives for writing constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Municipal government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36, 37, 38, 39

N
Name/structure of executive(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
National anthem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
National capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
National flag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
National vs subnational laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

O
Oaths to abide by constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48, 54
Official or national languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Ombudsman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Organic laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Outside professions of legislators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Ownership of natural resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 25, 64

P
Political theorists/figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Power to declare/approve war . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Power to pardon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Preamble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Presumption of innocence in trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Prison registry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Prohibition of capital punishment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Prohibition of cruel treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Prohibition of double jeopardy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Prohibition of slavery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Prohibition of torture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Protection from ex post facto laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 13
Protection from expropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Protection from self-incrimination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Protection from unjustified restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Protection of consumers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Protection of environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Protection of language use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 26
Protection of stateless persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
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Protection of victim's rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Provision for matrimonial equality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Provisions for intellectual property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Q
Quorum for legislative sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

R
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Reference to art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Reference to fraternity/solidarity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 18, 19, 26, 31, 58, 64, 69
Reference to science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Referenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16, 17
Regional group(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Regulation of evidence collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Regulation of marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Requirements for birthright citizenship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Requirements for naturalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 11
Restrictions on the armed forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Restrictions on voting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11, 15
Right of petition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Right to academic freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Right to amparo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 71
Right to appeal judicial decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Right to choose occupation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Right to competitive marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Right to counsel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 13
Right to culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 26, 27, 55
Right to development of personality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 23
Right to enjoy the benefits of science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Right to establish a business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Right to examine evidence/witnesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Right to fair trial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Right to form political parties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Right to found a family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Right to health care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Right to information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Right to join trade unions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Right to just remuneration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Right to life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Right to overthrow government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Right to own property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Right to pre-trial release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Right to privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 15
Right to protect one's reputation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Right to reasonable standard of living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Right to renounce citizenship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10, 11
Right to rest and leisure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Right to safe work environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Right to self determination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
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Right to shelter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Right to speedy trial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Right to strike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Right to transfer property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Right to water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Right to work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Rights of children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

S
Secret ballot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Selection of active-duty commanders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50, 70
Source of constitutional authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Standing committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
State operation of the media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 25
State support for children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
State support for the disabled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 20
State support for the elderly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 20
State support for the unemployed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Structure of legislative chamber(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Structure of the courts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53, 55
Subsidiary unit government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 33, 34, 35, 40
Supreme court powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Supreme court selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Supreme court term length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Supreme court term limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Supreme/ordinary court judge removal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

T
Telecommunications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 24
Term length for first chamber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Transitional provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Treaty ratification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 31, 41, 50
Trial in native language of accused . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Type of government envisioned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5

U
Ultra-vires administrative actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

V
Veto override procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 1999 (rev. 2009)

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