Venezuela's New Parliament Holds Its First Legislative Session

Venezuela's new Parliament held its first legislative session on Thursday and approved the creation of three special commissions set to promote a national reconciliation dialogue, the defense of the disputed Essequibo territory, and investigations into damages caused by the previous Assembly.

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Dialogue, Peace, and National Reconciliation Special Commission will be presided over by the Parliament's chairman Jorge Rodriguez who will be accompanied by opposition lawmaker Luis Martinez as first vice president and Francisco Torrealba.

"It cannot be an eternal dialogue where it takes months and months... It has to be a commission that quickly and peremptorily begins to offer proposals to be consulted with Venezuelan people," Rodriguez said. 

Proposed by Parliament's first Vice President Iris Varela, another commission was created to investigate the actions perpetrated by the former Board of Directors against the country from 2016 to 2021.

Varela noted that a final report on the matter must be submitted within a month, adding that responsible people must respond to justice. 

Rejecting the recent International Court of Justice's favorable ruling on a Guyana's claim over the Essequibo territory, the Commission for the Defense of Essequibo's Sovereignty will be chaired by Hermann Escarra, Earle Herrera, and Timoteo Zambrano. 

Likewise, lawmaker Diosdado Cabello proposed modification on debates' rules at the Parliament and the creation of a commission to address housing construction projects for Venezuelan families.

On January 5, Venezuela installed a new Parliament made up of 277 lawmakers whose majority represents the governing coalition the Great Patriotic Pole (GPP)