Madrid.- Venezuelan opposition figure Edmundo González called for strengthening democracy in Latin America after the setback experienced by 78% of the countries in the region in the rule of law. “Without justice there is no freedom and without the rule of law there is no sustainable democracy,” he said.
González participated in the presentation of the ‘ICAM ICAM Rule of Law and Legal Security in Ibero-America 2025′ Report, which took place this Thursday at the Casa de América in Madrid.Read more: Edmundo González will speak to Venezuela this Friday
The report, prepared by the Madrid Bar Association (ICAM) based on international indicators up to 2024, reflects that most Latin American countries have worsened their score in the Rule of Law since 2016, with Venezuela, Haiti, and Nicaragua at the bottom of the World Justice Project ranking.
In this regard, González referred to the Venezuelan case as a “close warning”, since the crisis “of tragic dimensions” that the country is going through “was not an immediate collapse, but a systematic and sustained deterioration of the institutional fabric”.
According to the opposition, Venezuela was for decades “an example of institutional stability” in Latin America, but “the gradual loss of judicial independence, the weakening of Parliament, the instrumental use of the law, and the persecution of dissent” deteriorated democracy in the country.
Therefore, he warned that the rule of law “can never be taken for granted” and that “its reconstruction is always more arduous and costly than its preservation.” “Its defense requires vigilance, commitment, and solid and independent institutions,” he added.
Thus, he claimed an independent and professional judiciary as “the last line of defense of democracy”, which leaves citizens “at the mercy of power” when it breaks down.
The Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez Almeida, was also present at the event, who reaffirmed the city’s “firm and unequivocal commitment” to the Venezuelan people.
“President-elect of Venezuela,” Almeida greeted Edmundo González, to then emphasize that the restoration of legality, the rule of law, and democracy in the South American country “can only come about through the recognition of the election results and Edmundo González assuming the presidency.”González Urrutia claims from exile in Spain the Venezuelan Presidency, by vindicating his victory in the 2024 elections against President Nicolás Maduro, proclaimed winner by the electoral body, controlled by rectors aligned with Chavismo.
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The Rule of Law in Latin America
The dean of the Bar Association, Eugenio Ribón, presented some results from the report, which details that in Latin America only the democracies of Uruguay, Costa Rica and Chile hold up with solidity, although they also show signs of wear.
Furthermore, it reflects that over 65% of countries have seen a deterioration in executive oversight mechanisms, and in countries like Bolivia, only 20% of citizens trust the judicial system. The presentation of the ‘ICAM Rule of Law and Legal Security in Latin America 2025 Report’ is part of the ‘ICAM International Summit 2025: Latin America’, a forum organized by the Madrid Bar Association to analyze the main strategic and legal challenges facing the region.
