Acting President Delcy Rodríguez pushes to soften Venezuela's anti-hate law

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez submitted a proposal to the National Assembly to partially revise the 2017 Constitutional Law Against Hatred, seeking to decriminalize several offenses and promote social tolerance. Human-rights organizations have long criticized the law for curbing dissent and targeting journalists, activists and critics of the government. The reform request coincides with a wave of nationwide protests driven by wage demands, prolonged power outages, and calls for the release of political prisoners.

According to the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict, protest actions have increased dramatically, with thousands recorded this year across states such as Anzoátegui, Aragua, Guárico, Portuguesa, Zulia and Cojedes. Authorities have deployed military personnel to block some demonstrations, while workers in state-owned enterprises have erected barricades demanding higher incomes. The government recently freed dozens of detainees, though many political prisoners remain behind bars.