Yasin Gungor
17 June 2026•Update: 17 June 2026
Bernabe Gutierrez, representing the Venezuelan political party Accion Democratica, introduced a bill for comprehensive constitutional reform on Tuesday to restructure the nation's political and economic systems.
The proposed changes focus on three main pillars: terminating indefinite presidential reelection, restoring a bicameral legislative system, and guaranteeing economic stability for the workforce.
Gutierrez argued that the current governance model requires a shift toward a five-year presidential term to ensure that elected leaders focus on fulfilling their promises rather than maintaining perpetual power.
On the economic front, the bill seeks to constitutionally mandate annual increases to the minimum wage, pensions, and public salaries. This measure aims to ensure that income levels consistently exceed the cost of basic household goods, thereby removing the political uncertainty that often accompanies annual wage announcements.
Government restructuring
The reform also envisions a return to a national congress composed of both a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate.
Additionally, the party expressed support for recent efforts to streamline the federal bureaucracy by reducing the number of ministries and vice-ministries, which they characterized as currently excessive.
These domestic proposals arrive as Venezuela navigates a fragile transition following the US military operation that captured President Nicolas Maduro on Jan. 3.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously emphasized that a rigorous three-phase process involving stabilization and recovery must occur before the country can hold free and fair elections.
Following Maduro's capture, Venezuela's Vice President and Oil Minister Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim president, changed the country’s flagship oil law, and released some political prisoners.
