Nichols warns that the law regulating NGOs “undermines democracy”

Brian Nichols, assistant secretary for the Western Hemisphere at the US State Department, warned on Monday that The recently approved law regulating NGOs represents a danger to both civil society and freedom of association.

In their social networksThe American official stated that the legislation threatens democracy in Venezuela, since reduces citizen participation in civic spaces and that would further isolate Nicolás Maduro in international politics.

“The new law by Maduro and his representatives to control Venezuelan NGOs is a direct attack on civil society and freedom of association, undermines democracy and prevents citizen participation in civic spaces”he explained.

Last week, the 2020 National Assembly unanimously approved the Law on Supervision, Regularization, Action and Financing of Non-Governmental and Related Organizations in Venezuela.

The event was planned in the vicinity of Parliament after suspending its vacation period to discuss the bill.

“The Law on Supervision, Regulation, Action and Financing of Non-Governmental Organizations and Non-Profit Social Organizations is hereby declared sanctioned and is sent to the Executive of the Republic for the purposes of its promulgation, in accordance with article 213 of our Constitution. We invite the president of the Internal Policy Commission (Diosdado Cabello) to receive the Law already sanctioned by our National Assembly.”said the President of Parliament from the chamber, Jorge Rodriguez.