Political Risk:

Critical

Score:

10/100

Defence and Security Policy and Policy Transparency

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Q1 58/100

Is there formal provision for effective and independent legislative scrutiny of defence policy?

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Formal rights Score: 100 / 100
The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela establishes the functions of the National Assembly (AN) – the country’s legislative branch – as comprising…
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Effectiveness Score: 75 / 100
Venezuela’s current political crisis has undermined the formal powers granted by the constitution to the AN to exercise its functions of political control, legislation,…
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Independent legislature scrutiny Score: 0 / 100
While it was a judicial decision that suppressed the powers granted to the AN (in contravention of the constitution), the executive’s influence on this…
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Q2 38/100

Does the country have an identifiable and effective parliamentary defence and security committee (or similar such organisations) to exercise oversight?

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Formal rights Score: 50 / 100
The National Assembly (AN) is composed of 15 permanent committees, including the Permanent Committee on Security and Defence. According to the AN’s internal regulations,…
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Expertise Score: 25 / 100
The Permanent Committee on Security and Defence is composed of eight deputies, specialists professionally trained in law and public administration [1]. Although none have…
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Responsive policymaking Score: 100 / 100
The political situation in Venezuela is atypical, given the breakdown of the institutional order which significantly hinders the functions of political control. The Defence…
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Short-term oversight Score: 0 / 100
Given the current political crisis, defence committee recommendations have no influence on policy or budget changes. This lack of influence is reflected by infringements…
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Long-term oversight Score: 50 / 100
The Committee continues long-term investigations into operations and allegations of violations of the law in the management of the FANB and the application of…
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Institutional outcomes Score: 0 / 100
The MPPD disregards the legislative functions of the AN, in line with the executive branch’s recognition of the Supreme Court judgement which found the…
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Q3 6/100

Is the country’s national defence policy or national security strategy debated and publicly available?

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Scope of involvement Score: 0 / 100
The executive has not debated its defence strategy in recent years and very little is known about specific security policies. Announcements made about these…
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Scope of debate Score: 0 / 100
The legislative and public debate on defence strategy and policies is conducted based on unofficial information, since the executive does not present documents to…
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Public consultations Score: 0 / 100
Although the constitution and the AN’s Internal Regulations allow for consultations with other state entities and with the public for debates on bills, in…
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Transparency Score: 25 / 100
In terms of security policies, the government does not make publicly availble any documents that set out detailed policies, nor is it accountable for…
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Q4 0/100

Do defence and security institutions have a policy, or evidence, of openness towards civil society organisations (CSOs) when dealing with issues of corruption?

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Policy of openness Score: 0 / 100
There is no policy of openness in Venezuelan legislation that would enable citizens and social organisations to access information, neither in the security and…
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CSO protections Score: 0 / 100
Civil society organisations can operate in the country. However, they face obstacles in accessing information, there are no legal safeguards to protect them, and…
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Practice of openness Score: 0 / 100
Civil society organisations are not invited to work with the defence sector. Recommendations and complaints from civil organisations are not considered by the government,…
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Q5 63/100

Has the country signed up to the following international anti-corruption instruments: UNCAC and the OECD Convention?

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Signatory and Ratification status Score: 100 / 100
Venezuela signed the United Nations Convention against Corruption in 2003 and ratified it in 2005. Given that the country does not export weapons or…
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Compliance Score: 25 / 100
The latest evaluation of the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption highlighted some of the advances that have been made in terms…
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Q6 13/100

Is there evidence of regular, active public debate on issues of defence? If yes, does the government participate in this debate?

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Public debate Score: 25 / 100
Short-term issues relating to security crises, or events intercepted and repressed by security forces, are the subject of public debate among academics and military…
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Government engagement in public discourse Score: 0 / 100
The government does not respond to public criticism, neither participating in discussions nor addressing criticised issues in its press releases. Officials in the Maduro…
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Q7 13/100

Does the country have an openly stated and effectively implemented anti-corruption policy for the defence sector?

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Anti-corruption policy Score: 25 / 100
Venezuela does not have a public anti-corruption policy programme, nor do any specific plans exist in the defence sector. However, a legal framework for…
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Effective implementation Score: 0 / 100
Although there is no public policy on anti-corruption, periodic plans and anti-corruption legislation are recorded; however, the application of this legislation is difficult to…
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Q8 0/100

Are there independent, well-resourced, and effective institutions within defence and security tasked with building integrity and countering corruption?

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Mandate and resources Score: 0 / 100
CONGEFANB is specifically responsible for internal audit of the defence sector. However, among the functions ascribed to this entity, there is no express mandate…
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Independence Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. There is no unit mandated to perform ethical compliance or anti-corruption oversight for the defence sector. Indeed, in…
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Effectiveness Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. There are no compliance or ethics units in place. Although there is no unit in charge of overseeing…
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Q9 NS/100

Does the public trust the institutions of defence and security to tackle the issue of bribery and corruption in their establishments?

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Score: NS / 100
This indicator is not assigned a score in the GDI. According to the LatinoBarómetro perception survey, the institution perceived most corrupt by Venezuelan citizens…
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Q10 0/100

Are there regular assessments of the areas of greatest corruption risk for ministry and armed forces personnel, and are the findings used as inputs to the anti-corruption policy?

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Risk assessments Score: 0 / 100
Some corruption risk assessments take place, but these are independently carried out by civil society organisations and do not benefit from government cooperation, neither…
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Regularity Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. Risk assessments are not conducted by the government. Organisations that conduct risk analysis studies, on a general level…
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Inputs to anti-corruption policy Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. Risk assessments are not conducted by the government. Reports produced by civil society organisations identify clear risks of…
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Defence Budgets

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Q11 8/100

Does the country have a process for acquisition planning that involves clear oversight, and is it publicly available?

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Acquisition planning process Score: 25 / 100
The Organic Law of the People’s Public Planning (LOPPP) sets out the planning procedure for the running of the different People’s Power institutions. This…
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Transparency Score: 0 / 100
Although evidence suggests that the POA is prepared [1], neither it nor the budget act for different fiscal years are made public, so there…
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External oversight Score: 0 / 100
The LOPPP states that the POAs submitted by each ministry will be approved by the president without detriment to the constitutional oversight functions of…
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Q12 0/100

Is the defence budget transparent, showing key items of expenditure? And it is provided to the legislature in a timely fashion?

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Comprehensiveness Score: 0 / 100
Information is unknown about the budgets for the fiscal years since 2016, which have been planned and executed without the approval of the legislature.…
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Timeliness Score: 0 / 100
Despite the constitutional obligation to submit budget acts for the knowledge and approval of the AN [1], the executive has not presented its budget…
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Q13 0/100

Is there a legislative committee (or other appropriate body) responsible for defence budget scrutiny and analysis in an effective way?

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Formal rights Score: 0 / 100
Formally, there is a permanent security and defence committee in the National Assembly (AN), but it does not have the express authority to scrutinise…
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Influence on decision-making Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. The Committee lacks formal powers to scrutinise the defence budget. The Security and Defence Committee has no influence…
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Q14 0/100

Is the approved defence budget made publicly available? In practice, can citizens, civil society, and the media obtain detailed information on the defence budget?

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Proactive publication Score: 0 / 100
The defence budget has not been released to the public since 2016. The executive has not submitted it to the National Assembly (AN) for…
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Comprehensiveness Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. The defence budget is not published. Given that the national budget is not published, it is impossible to…
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Response to information requests Score: 0 / 100
Although the constitution establishes a right to information from the public administration [1], citizens’ requests for information are constantly denied. Social organisations have condemned…
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Q15 17/100

Are sources of defence income other than from central government allocation (from equipment sales or property disposal, for example) published and scrutinised?

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Transparency Score: 0 / 100
Given that budgets for the years since 2016 are unknown, and that no legal and public accountability process have taken place for any public…
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Institutional scrutiny Score: 0 / 100
In recent years, the Ministry of the People’s Power for Defence (MPPD) has not been accountable to the National Assembly (AN); which has prevented…
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Public scrutiny Score: 50 / 100
Some civil society organisations maintain an active role in monitoring and seeking to audit defence sector income; however, these organisations have been blocked and…
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Q16 0/100

Is there an effective internal audit process for defence ministry expenditure (that is, for example, transparent, conducted by appropriately skilled individuals, and subject to parliamentary oversight)?

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Activity Score: 0 / 100
According to the Organic Law of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (LOFANB), the Office of the Comptroller General of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces…
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Enabling oversight Score: 0 / 100
The Organic Law of the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic and of the System of Fiscal Control (LOCGRSCF) states that the…
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External scrutiny Score: 0 / 100
The Supreme Court decision to confer exclusive oversight over entities attached to the MPPD to the CONGEFANB [1] also affects the possibility for civil…
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Institutional outcomes Score: 0 / 100
There is no evidence with which to assess whether the MPPD incorporates the findings of CONGEFANB audits, visits, and other actions into its plans.…
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Q17 0/100

Is there effective and transparent external auditing of military defence expenditure?

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Activity Score: 0 / 100
The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic (CGR) has the constitutional power to inspect and oversee public sector bodies. As the governing…
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Independence Score: 0 / 100
Although there is a constitutionally established entity responsible for external audits of the defence sector, in reality, this entity has been suspended from carrying…
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Transparency Score: 0 / 100
Although there is a constitutionally established entity responsible for external audits of the defence sector, in reality, this entity has been suspended from carrying…
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Institutional outcomes Score: 0 / 100
Although there is a constitutionally established entity responsible for external audits of the defence sector, in reality, this entity has been suspended from carrying…
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Nexus of Defence and National Assets

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Q18 5/100

Is there evidence that the country’s defence institutions have controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with the country’s natural resource exploitation and, if so, are these interests publicly stated and subject to scrutiny?

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Legal framework Score: 0 / 100
Venezuelan law does not prohibit the participation of military officials in the financial management of the country’s hydrocarbons and minerals. Indeed, since 2016 the…
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Defence institutions: Financial or controlling interests in practice Score: 25 / 100
The participation of the defence sector in the exploitation of hydrocarbons and minerals has progressively increased, to the point of its total control of…
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Individual defence personnel: Financial or controlling interests in practice Score: 0 / 100
Individual involvement of military officers in businesses related to the exploitation of natural resources is extensive, with control of the main extractive companies granted…
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Transparency Score: 0 / 100
No information could be found on any of these interests, and this information simply appears to not be public. However, given that there is…
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Scrutiny Score: 0 / 100
The defence sector’s participation in the exploitation of oil and other minerals is only subject to scrutiny by the internal controls of the defence…
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Organised Crime

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Q19 0/100

Is there evidence, for example through media investigations or prosecution reports, of a penetration of organised crime into the defence and security sector? If no, is there evidence that the government is alert and prepared for this risk?

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Penetration of organised crime Score: 0 / 100
Studies by different organisations have condemned the penetration of organised crime into the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) and the police forces. Organisations from…
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Government response Score: 0 / 100
In speeches by the president and the Minister of Defence, although the issue of drug trafficking and smuggling is discussed, the involvement of the…
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Q20 0/100

Is there policing to investigate corruption and organised crime within the defence services and is there evidence of the effectiveness of this policing?

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Existence of policing function Score: 0 / 100
Within the armed forces, there is no policing body in charge of investigating corruption cases or the involvement of military officers in organised crime…
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Independence Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. The internal control agencies that do have some policing functions with which to investigate cases of corruption, and…
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Effectiveness Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. There is no policing function exercised over the defence services to investigate corruption or organised crime. The internal…
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Control of Intelligence Services

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Q21 0/100

Are the policies, administration, and budgets of the intelligence services subject to effective and independent oversight?

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Independence Score: 0 / 100
The intelligence services have no parliamentary controls nor any specific body with oversight functions; they depend on and are exclusively supervised by the executive.…
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Effectiveness Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. There is no independent oversight of the intelligence services in Venezuela. Studies carried out by civil society organisations…
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Q22 0/100

Are senior positions within the intelligence services filled on the basis of objective selection criteria, and are appointees subject to investigation of their suitability and prior conduct?

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Objective selection criteria Score: 0 / 100
The regulations of the intelligence services do not establish objective and clear criteria for the selection of senior officers. Many of these positions are…
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Selection bias Score: 0 / 100
The directors of the SEBIN and the DGCIM are freely appointed and removable by the President of the Republic. As such, these positions solely…
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Vetting process Score: 0 / 100
Within the regulations for the Venezuelan intelligence services, background checks and eligibility criteria are not laid out as prerequisites for senior positions [1, 2].…
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Export Controls

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Q23 0/100

Does the government have a well-scrutinised process for arms export decisions that aligns with Articles 7.1.iv, 11.5, and 15.6 of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)?

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Signatory and Ratification Score: 0 / 100
Since the beginning of discussions for the proposal and signature of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), Venezuela has opposed signing. Initially, its opposition formed…
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Compliance Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. Venezuela has neither signed nor ratified the Arms Trade Treaty [1].
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Parliamentary scrutiny Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. Although Venezuela has revealed its intentions of creating an arms industry with export capacity by building Kalashnikov and…
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Lobbying in Defence

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Q76 0/100

Does the country regulate lobbying of defence institutions?

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Legal framework Score: 0 / 100
Venezuela has no legislation regulating lobbying activity, and there are no draft laws seeking to introduce regulations for lobbying [1]. Within the current political…
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Disclosure: Public officials Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. Venezuela has no legislation regulating lobbying activity, and there are no draft laws seeking to introduce regulations for…
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Lobbyist registration system Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. Venezuela has no legislation regulating lobbying activity, and there are no draft laws seeking to introduce regulations for…
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Oversight & enforcement Score: NA / 100
This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’. Venezuela has no legislation regulating lobbying activity, and there are no draft laws seeking to introduce regulations for…
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