Justice and Reconciliation

Venezuela’s future will depend on reconciling and unifying all sectors of the population, including Chavistas, and overcoming the current destructive polarization. Promoting a transitional system of justice that seeks fair and balanced accountability for past crimes, backed by international assistance and international law, will be a crucial step in the short term. A first step will be the release of all political prisoners.

A fundamental first step will be the dismantling of the Constituent Assembly and restoration of the National Assembly closely followed by naming new members in accordance with the Constitution of the CNE and replacing the thirteen illegitimate Supreme Court justices.

The level of political corruption continues to worsen as the crisis deepens.

Venezuela’s next administration will need to adopt new anti-corruption mechanisms, in close coordination with civil society and in consultation with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the OAS. Those steps will need to be carried out with full transparency and engagement with civil society and lead to a rapid definition of the calendar and process for required elections in accord with the Constitution. That process also will require restoring the rights of political participation for members of the political opposition which were unconstitutional removed.