Nicolás Maduro signed an external shock decreeclaiming “threats” from the United States. According to Delcy Rodríguez, executive vice president of the maturist government, the measure seeks to strengthen national defense against possible external actions that compromise the stability of the country.
In an encounter with the diplomatic corps accredited in the country, the official said that this decree “gives special powers to the Head of State to act in defense and security” in the event that the USA “would dare to attack” Venezuela.
“The president signed the external shock decree,” he said.
This shock decree is contemplated in a law of states of exception and includes the “temporary restriction” of constitutional rights.
“There is a compact Venezuela in the defense of our country, prepared for the defense of Venezuela,” said Rodríguez. “We will never deliver the homeland.”
Washington deployed eight warships and a nuclear propulsion submarine as part of a plan to combat drug trafficking in the Caribbean, where he says he destroyed at least three supposedly loaded vessels with drugs from Venezuela with the result of 14 deaths.
“Those who think that a warrist military aggression against Venezuela will only harm the people, the Venezuelan government, they will be wrong again: the entire country will be affected, perhaps for decades, our region will be affected, they have no doubts, it will affect the United States,” Rodriguez said.
He warned that every person will be judged who “promotes and supports, who facilitates, who apology a military aggression.”
What does the external shock state decree imply?
The external commotion state is contemplated in article 338 of the 1999 Constitution. It is decreed in external conflict situations that endanger the security of the nation, its citizens or its institutions.
It lasts up to 90 days, extendable for another 90 days with parliamentary authorization, and It gives the Executive extraordinary powers to mobilize troops, restrict civil rights, control media and adopt exceptional decisions in matters of national defense.
In practice, this legal figure allows to centralize decisions in the Executive and reduce institutional counterweights under the argument of national protection.
Maduro justified the decision with the increase in US military maneuvers in waters near Venezuela, which Washington has presented as part of operations against drug trafficking.
Background of article 338
The Venezuelan Constitution establishes three types of states of exception: the alarm state, which is applied to catastrophes or calamities, with a duration of 30 extendable days; The state of economic emergency due to serious economic crises, with a duration of 60 days, and the state of internal or exterior shock in case of internal or external conflicts, with a duration of 90 days.
Since 2016, Chavismo has repeatedly resorted to these tools. The economic emergency state has been decreed uninterrupted since 2016 to allegedly overcome the crisis, which has allowed the government to approve budgets, issue debt and manage special funds without accountability.
In 2020 the alarm by the pandemic was applied to establish mobility restrictions and suspension of activities for more than a year.
Although internal commotion was not formally decreed, in 2017 the Executive applied equivalent tactics in mass protests.
The 2025 case would be the first to formally activate the external shock figure regarding geopolitical tensions.
Jurists and opposition sectors They warn that external commotion could serve to restrict civil liberties, increase censorship in media and justify a greater role of military forces in political and social life.
At the international level, the decree could increase friction with Washington and generate new sanctions. It would also reinforce the alliances of Caracas with actors such as Russia, China and Iran.
