Anti-Solidarity Law

Anti-Solidarity Law

The Law on Control, Regularization, Operations and Financing of Non-Governmental and Related Organisation, also known colloquially as the Anti-Society Law, is a law approved by the V Legislature of the National Assembly of Venezuela, with a pro-government majority, presented in first discussion on 24 January 2023. The law is currently in second discussion in the National Assembly, since 9 January 2024.

The legislation grants powers to the government of Nicolás Maduro to open administrative proceedings against non-governmental organizations that can lead to the suspension of their activities up to their dissolution. The law is controversial and has been criticized by non-governmental organizations, which have denounced that it is aimed at criminalizing NGOs and human rights activists, and that it would have negative effects on both the defense of human rights and humanitarian aid in the country. As many as 400 national and international organizations have criticized the text. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called on the Venezuelan government to establish a "broad consultative process" on the law.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela expressed its concern and stated that the approval of "the NGO law may represent a point of no return in the closing of the civic and democratic space in Venezuela".