Venezuela's Jorge Rodríguez criticizes NGOs, questions Norway's role in past talks

Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, sharply criticized non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and questioned the involvement of Norway in previous political negotiations within the country. His remarks came during a parliamentary session discussing reforms to the Organic Law of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ).

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The reason for that difference is that in the lists of these so-called NGOs, only those who pay are included; those who don't pay are not on those lists.

Rodríguez accused certain human rights NGOs of "monetizing justice," alleging that their lists of detained individuals only include those who pay for their services. He asserted that this practice distorts the justice system and proposed that a comprehensive reform should address these issues. The proposed judicial reform, he explained, includes changes that would affect all levels of the justice system, from the highest court down to lower courts.

Furthermore, Rodríguez addressed the current dialogue process between the government and opposition sectors, emphasizing that it is proceeding without foreign facilitators. He stated, "This is one of the few times a dialogue table has been convened solely among Venezuelans, without the facilitation of organizations, countries, or personalities from abroad." This contrasts with previous negotiation attempts where international actors, including Norway, played a mediating role.

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That Norwegian mediation is useless, they are a disaster as mediators, as facilitators of dialogue.

He specifically criticized Norway's past facilitation efforts, describing them as ineffective and a "disaster." Rodríguez also confirmed that efforts continue to recover Venezuela's gold reserves held in the Bank of England, indicating that any recovered funds would be allocated to assist victims of recent earthquakes. The focus on internal dialogue and the recovery of national assets signals a shift in Venezuela's approach to both domestic political processes and international financial matters.

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This is one of the few times a dialogue table has been convened solely among Venezuelans, without the facilitation of organizations, countries, or personalities from abroad.