Access to Justice asks the AN to publish rules and schedule for the selection of TSJ magistrates

The Venezuelan NGO Acceso a la Justicia has called on the National Assembly to publicly disclose the regulations and schedule governing the selection process for new magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ). The organization expressed concern over the "lack of information" surrounding the renewal of the court's composition.

In a statement, Acceso a la Justicia deemed it "indispensable" for the Parliament to publish details such as the evaluation criteria, the timeline for the process, and provisions for citizen participation. The NGO cautioned that without these transparent elements, the selection risks "reproducing opaque practices that have characterized previous appointments" of judicial authorities.

The NGO highlighted that the absence of official data on the number of vacancies and the specific conditions for selecting new magistrates erodes public confidence in Venezuela's judicial system. They stressed that the "correct conformation of the highest court" is crucial not only for institutional integrity but also for guaranteeing access to justice and effective judicial protection.

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Without these elements, the process runs the risk of reproducing opaque practices that have characterized previous appointments.

The call for transparency comes as the National Assembly has initiated the process for nominating new TSJ magistrates. The application period, open from May 22 to June 6, is for Venezuelan lawyers and jurists interested in joining the high court. Recent legal reforms stipulate that the TSJ will comprise 32 magistrates, with eight replacements due to retirement or resignation and 12 new judges joining alongside existing ones.

The Judicial Nominations Committee, responsible for evaluating candidates, was installed on May 20. It includes 11 government deputies and 10 civil society representatives. While the committee's president estimated the process could take around 45 days, Acceso a la Justicia insists that the TSJ renewal presents a "key opportunity" to strengthen judicial independence, but expressed doubts about the current process's transparency.

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The correct conformation of the highest court not only has institutional implications but also directly impacts the guarantee of access to justice and effective judicial protection.