The Resilience and Rupture of Derecho Constitucional Venezolano : From the 1999 Constitution to the Present Crisis

However, 25 years later, the gap between the constitutional text and political reality has created one of the most studied cases of constitutional erosion in modern Latin America.

Venezuelan Constitutional Law exists in a state of paradox. The 1999 Constitution, championed by Hugo Chávez, was initially hailed as one of the most participatory and progressive charters in the world. It enshrined human rights, recognized collective indigenous rights, transformed the nation into a Estado Democrático y Social de Derecho y de Justicia (Democratic and Social State of Law and Justice), and introduced mechanisms like referendums and recall votes.