The President of the Republic, Delcy Rodríguez, requested this Thursday to the National Assembly (AN) to promote a broad and inclusive consultation process to debate the reform of the Law Against Hatred.
The Head of State recalled that, in September, she acknowledged that this legal instrument had been applied in an abusive manner, and she proposed reforming it to eliminate criminal penalties and strengthen its educational focus.
«Once the reform of the Law Against Hatred is enacted, the justice system must review the cases of individuals who have faced criminal prosecution under this instrument,» she stated.
The President invited independent organizations to monitor these steps with full freedom and transparency. She also issued an order that no person may be detained without a judicial warrant, except in cases in flagrante delicto.
«Peaceful protest is a constitutional right, and the exercise of that right must be accompanied by respect for the physical and moral integrity of our security officers,» she expressed.
Likewise, she added that the Constitution of the Republic is the framework for the conduct of all Venezuelan men and women; therefore, violence is not the appropriate path for resolving controversies.
«Each and every one of us has the right to think differently, without fear of any kind of reprisal,» she stressed.