Venezuelan National Assembly deputies during the election of the National Assembly board of directors for the 2023-2024 term. Photo: Con El Mazo Dando.
On Thursday, January 5, the National Assembly (AN) of Venezuela, in its first plenary session of the year, ratified Deputy Jorge RodrĂguez as the president of the National Assembly for the 2023-2024 parliamentary term.
Deputy Pedro Infante was elected as the first vice president, and Deputy América Pérez as the second vice president, both from the ruling coalition, Bloque de la Patria.
Bloque de la Patria‘s nominations of Rosalba Gil as the secretary and MarĂa Alejandra Hernández as the deputy secretary of the AN for the 2023-2024 term were also passed with a clear majority.
The inauguration of the president of the National Assembly for the 2023-2024 legislative period was conducted by the representatives of the people’s power.
The representatives present at the event were Antonio RamĂłn Briceño JimĂ©nez from the construction workers’ sector; Victoria Guerrero, sportsperson and fencer for the Venezuelan youth national team, who won two gold medals in the Rosario 2022 Youth South American Games; Hermes Suárez, farmer and member of the organization Communities of the Cocorote municipality of Yaracuy; and Isabela Montiel, a member of the Inga community and leader of the Cacique Guaicaipuro Indigenous Front, representing the indigenous peoples of Venezuela.
After being sworn in as the new president of the National Assembly for the 2023-2024 term, Deputy Jorge RodrĂguez swore in the first and second vice presidents and the new secretary and deputy secretary of the AN.
The discussion
Deputy Diosdado Cabello, representing the Bloque de la Patria, highlighted the work of the National Assembly during the 2022-2023 term. “I have no doubt about giving full marks to this National Assembly and my acknowledgement of the deputies’ work in spite of the attacks against our country,” Cabello said. “This National Assembly led by Jorge RodrĂguez has been represented at an international level.”
After acknowledging the work and merits of the outgoing directive board while facing the changing national and international arenas, Cabello said, “As we have done in other years, we make a proposal before the country for a new directive board.”
He then nominated Deputy Jorge RodrĂguez, the president of the outgoing board, for the presidency of the new board for the 2023-2024 term.
“I propose that Deputy Jorge RodrĂguez, who must be recognized for his effort, work, dedication, patience, and tolerance, continue to serve as president,” he announced.
“Jorge RodrĂguez has been at the forefront of the national dialogue,” he highlighted. “This NA has regained its historical position after the period occupied by the opposition [2015-2020].”
For the first vice-presidency, Cabello proposed Deputy Pedro Infante, and for the second vice-presidency, Deputy América Pérez.
He also thanked Iris Varela and Vanessa Montero, who were the first and second vice presidents of the outgoing board, “for the work they have done and continue doing. Thank you very much. This is our proposal to lead the Bolivarian National Assembly.”
Deputy Pedro Carreño highlighted that Venezuela, “despite the vicissitudes and aggressions, the systematic and recurrent attacks of the reactionary right wing and of the historical enemies of the national liberation processes of our people,” has enough fortitude and maturity to settle its differences.
He added that the current NA has worked to recover the institutionality and constitutionality of the parliament, which is its strength. “We do not need the recognition of imperialism. We are interested in being recognized by the people,” Carreño said.
As an example of this, he pointed out the vote for the election of the National Assembly, to which “both the Revolution and the opposition contribute, but it is the majority that decides, as it should be under a democracy.
“It is an example of how a country works under a democracy, with respect and tolerance,” he stressed.
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Carreño also highlighted that the 2015-2020 National Assembly, where the opposition held the majority, had acted as a sort of aircraft carrier of US imperialism to attack the homeland, plunder the assets of the nation, and work against the political stability of the country, with the intention of getting their hands on the nation’s resources and wealth and place them at the service of imperialism.
In this context, the greatest accomplishment of the current National Assembly is its recovery of “institutionality, legality, constitutionality, and the rule of law,” he added.
The deputy also commented on why imperialism does not recognize the current AN. “Of course they are not going to recognize us, because of our patriotic stance and because we work for the highest interests of the country,” he explained. “We do not need them to recognize us; with the recognition of the Venezuelan people, we have enough.”
Proposals of the opposition
Deputy Luis Augusto Romero, on behalf of the opposition, was in charge of proposing a second option for the positions of president and two vice presidents of the AN. In his speech, Romero highlighted the responsibility assumed by the deputies of the National Assembly to “legislate based on national interests, the interests of the Venezuelan people.” In particular, he highlighted the responsibility they undertook in dismantling the campaign of violence that was launched in 2019, though he failed to mention that it was the opposition that promoted and carried out this violence.
“This opposition is democratic, patriotic, and deeply committed to the interests of the country,” he claimed. “This is an opposition that does not take orders from any capital of the world, from any foreign interest.”
For the presidency of the National Assembly, he proposed Deputy Anyeli Tamayo, whom he highlighted as a representative of the youth leadership. For the first vice presidency, he proposed Deputy Alfonso Campos, while for the second vice presidency he nominated Deputy Miguel Salazar.
These proposals were defeated.
President Maduro congratulates new directive board
President Nicolás Maduro congratulated the formation of the new directive board of the National Assembly through a message on his social media accounts.
Felicito a la nueva junta directiva de la Asamblea Nacional presidida por los diputados @Jorgerpsuv, como Presidente, @Pinfantea, Primer Vicepresidente y la diputada @Amkvalentina, como Segunda Vicepresidenta. Que el 2023 – 2024 sea de Ă©xitos y bendiciones para nuestra Patria. pic.twitter.com/TjDd6Fi8yk
— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) January 5, 2023
“I congratulate the new directive board of the National Assembly presided over by Deputies Jorge RodrĂguez, as president; Pedro Infante, first vice president; and AmĂ©rica PĂ©rez, as second vice president. May 2023-2024 be of successes and blessings for our Homeland,” President Maduro wrote in a tweet.
(Ăšltimas Noticias) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
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