The Daily Journal – Venezuela’s National Assembly (AN) unanimously approved the partial reform bill of the Organic Law of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) in its first debate during an extraordinary session this Thursday. The proposal changes the composition of the Judicial Nominations Committee, which selects the justices of the country’s highest court.
Content of the reform
The reform focuses primarily on amending Article 65 of the law, increasing the total number of members of the Judicial Nominations Committee from 21 to 23. Under the new structure, the National Assembly will retain 11 representatives, while civil society representation will increase from 10 to 12 members. With this adjustment, civil society representatives will hold the majority on the committee.
According to Pedro Infante, first vice president of the National Assembly, the initiative seeks to “adjust the composition of the Judicial Nominations Committee”. It forms part of the previously announced plan to expand the TSJ, which calls for increasing the number of justices from 20 to 32. Infante said Articles 274 and 270 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela provide the legal basis for the reform.
Background and legislative process
According to official information, the reform forms part of the agreements the Executive Branch and the National Assembly, elected in 2015, reached through their dialogue process. The commitments include updating and fully integrating the Judicial Nominations Committee, launching a new process to nominate and appoint all TSJ justices, and creating a commission to verify candidates’ qualifications and eligibility.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said lawmakers sent the bill to the Permanent Committee on Domestic Policy to prepare the corresponding report ahead of its second debate. Under the legislative process, lawmakers must approve the text in a second debate before it can receive final approval.
Statements during the debate
During the plenary session, lawmaker Luis Florido highlighted the increase in civil society representatives to 12, which would give them the majority on the committee. He said that “if this materializes in practice, it would represent a qualitative change.” Florido stressed that strengthening the judicial system seeks to lead the country toward prosperity and that all Venezuelans should benefit, regardless of their political views.
