New Supreme Court Needed, Proposes Total Judicial Overhaul

Document submission begins at the Palacio Federal Legislativo. A total of 12 civil society members, equally balanced between men and women, can apply from October 2nd to 9th.

Applicants must submit documents to the Palacio Federal Legislativo. The 12 civil society members will be composed of an equal number of men and women.

Individuals not yet interviewed can submit a confirmation form instead of resubmitting documents, saving administrative costs and time. The process will streamline documents and confirm the status of approximately 580 existing applicants. Individuals not yet interviewed can submit a confirmation form, reducing administrative costs and time.

Existing applicants who have not been interviewed can simply submit a confirmation form instead of re-submitting their documents, a measure to save administrative costs and time.

To increase efficiency, several processes are being conducted in parallel, and document review is being streamlined in collaboration with a group of seven legal experts.

According to the Constitution, candidates must have at least 15 years of experience after graduating from university. A master's or doctoral degree in law, university professor experience, and service as a higher court judge are required, along with high moral character.

Additionally, a master's or doctoral degree in law or experience as a law professor is required. For judicial candidates, experience as a higher court judge is necessary, and moral qualities such as fulfilling tax obligations and diligent citizenship are also emphasized.

Deputy Pablo Pérez plans to send a letter to Seniat requesting information to transparently verify candidates' tax payments.

To verify academic degrees, official letters will be sent to relevant institutions, and 30 committee members will directly cross-reference candidate records on-site, shortening document transfer time.

More than 400-500 interviews are expected during the Supreme Court appointment process, with the goal of concluding the procedure by mid-December.

The selection process adheres to strict multi-stage filtering stipulated in the Constitution, passing through parliamentary committees, the Citizen Power institution, and the National Assembly plenary session, approaching it carefully for thorough verification rather than hasty processing.

Deputy Margarita emphasized that the 10-to-20-year sentences included in the amendment are excessive punitive provisions. Opposition deputies are currently awaiting the sharing of the relevant text for revisions and improvements. Although a special committee has been formed to begin discussions, there is concern that this provision could effectively stifle freedom of expression.

The draft amendment has not yet been released and is awaiting government introduction.

Opposition deputies, based on a critical view of laws enacted by the previous pro-government assembly, are awaiting the sharing of the text for revisions and amendments to the bill.

Deputy Pablo Pérez described the severe electricity shortages across Venezuela, especially in Zulia state, as 'inhumane torture,' criticizing the national disaster situation.

With the judiciary reduced to a tool for suppressing the people, limited freedom is only allowed through political negotiations due to the nullification of the amnesty law.

Deputy Pablo Pérez believed that the Ley Orgánica Libertador Simón Bolívar legitimizes government secrecy and arbitrary contracts.

He pointed out that this law, which prescribes prison sentences of 25 to 30 years and political disqualifications of up to 60 years on the pretext of national security, could become a tool for suppressing the people.

The signing of oil and mining contracts involving national interests without parliamentary approval is an example of government legal abuse.

For national normalization, a complete replacement of judges, including those in the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), is inevitable.

He proposed that all legal systems must be updated to reflect the changed national reality after January 3rd, and concurrently with the TSJ reform, the issue of the National Electoral Council (CNE) composition must also be discussed promptly.

Beyond Supreme Court reform, assessing the qualifications of judges in lower courts at the state level is also an indispensable task.

The political and social realities of Venezuela, changed after January 3rd, must be reflected in the legal system. He believes that judicial justice should be realized in all legal matters, not just criminal cases.

Deputy Pablo Pérez explained that the issue of the National Electoral Council (CNE) composition could also be included in discussions, alongside the registration of Supreme Court justice candidates.

The Electoral Council reform is expected to be completed no earlier than late November or early December, and he expressed his commitment to urgently proceed with the process of selecting 32 candidates.