Event Summary
At the end of September 2025, President Nicolás Maduro announced his intention to declare a state of external commotion—one of the types of states of emergency established in the Venezuelan Constitution. The announcement is linked to growing tensions with the United States due to that country’s military presence in the Caribbean.
This military presence in the Caribbean—which has included attacks on alleged drug-trafficking boats—along with statements made by various U.S. government officials, including President Trump, about the Venezuelan government’s supposed ties to drug trafficking, have heightened tensions between the two countries and worsened the internal climate in Venezuela.
In this context, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez announced that the President had already signed the decree declaring a state of external commotion. However, the contents of the decree remain unknown, and it is unclear whether all constitutional requirements for its entry into force have been met.
States of emergency entail restrictions on certain constitutional rights and guarantees. According to the relevant legal framework, such decrees must be immediately published in the Official Gazette and widely disseminated through the media—neither of which has occurred so far.
Similarly, Venezuelan organizations have warned that this decree declaring a state of external commotion could lead to further militarization of the country and facilitate additional abuses and restrictions on freedoms.
The lack of transparency in the process of implementing and enforcing the decree constitutes a violation of the right to access public information—particularly concerning measures that may restrict constitutional rights.