Venezuela · Government
Government and administration in Venezuela
How the executive, legislature and administrative state are organised, and which body is responsible for what.
The three branches
- Executive — President
- Six-year term; term limits were removed by the 2009 amendment.
- Legislative — National Assembly
- Unicameral; the 2015-2020 opposition majority was displaced by a parallel constituent assembly.
- Judicial — Tribunal Supremo de Justicia
- Magistrates are elected by the Assembly.
- Citizen and electoral — Poder Ciudadano and Consejo Nacional Electoral
- The fourth and fifth branches: ombudsman, prosecutor, comptroller, and the electoral authority.
How legislation is made
Bills are introduced in the National Assembly and require two discussions. The President may return a bill with observations or seek a constitutional opinion from the Supreme Tribunal. Amendment and reform follow distinct routes, both ending in a referendum; a constituent assembly may also be convened.
Enforcement institutions
- Ministerio Público
- Headed by the Fiscal General; part of the Citizen Power branch.
- Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas
- Principal investigative police body.
- Defensoría del Pueblo
- Ombudsman within the Citizen Power branch.
Government bodies and regulators
- judicialTribunal Supremo de JusticiaHighest court of the republic, sitting in seven chambers.
- independentMinisterio PúblicoDirects criminal investigation and prosecution.
- independentDefensoría del PuebloOmbudsman within the Citizen Power branch.
- executiveServicio Nacional Integrado de Administración Aduanera y TributariaAdministers national taxes and customs.
- executiveServicio Administrativo de Identificación, Migración y ExtranjeríaIssues identity documents, passports and residence permits.
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