Venezuela Launches Hotline to Combat Judicial and Police Extortion

Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has launched a dedicated hotline, 0-800-EXTORSIÓN, enabling citizens to directly report acts of extortion and corruption by law enforcement, judicial, and prosecutorial officials. This move is a significant step in the government's efforts to combat systemic corruption within the justice system.

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I want to end the 'matraca' (bribery) and extortion, it's over, the Venezuelan people are asking for it.

The announcement coincides with the formal launch of a nationwide public consultation aimed at structurally reforming Venezuela's criminal justice system. Rodríguez expressed a firm commitment to ending bribery and extortion, stating, "I want to end the 'matraca' (bribery) and extortion, it's over, the Venezuelan people are asking for it." She urged active citizen collaboration and the commitment of state security agency leaders to eradicate malpractices and uphold the dignity of public institutions.

Rodríguez emphasized that the 0800-Extorsión line was created to protect the reputation of honest public servants and ensure a justice system worthy of Venezuela's current historical moment and its moral and ethical needs. "It is not fair that honest police officers, judges, and prosecutors pay for those who extort citizens," she stated.

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It is not fair that honest police officers, judges, and prosecutors pay for those who extort citizens.

The establishment of this reporting channel is part of a larger process to transform the penal justice system, which will examine nine fundamental areas. Attorney General Larry Devoe outlined that working groups will address critical issues such as judicial delays, barriers to universal access to justice, professional ethics, and the independence of the judiciary. The consultation process is open to various societal groups, including organized communities, human rights movements, and workers, alongside a specific channel for justice operators to conduct an "autocritical" internal diagnosis.

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We come to this process to review each of the processes, practices, and modes of procedure that each of us in the justice system are developing to improve, to transform.