OCTOBER 16, 2024 — On Tuesday, October 15, the National Assembly of Venezuela approved a law aimed at severely punishing what it deems the “improper use” of the country’s tricolor flag, reported Efecto Cocuyo.
The proposed amendment to existing flag regulations was introduced by Pedro Carreño, who pledged to impose harsh penalties on individuals who misuse or disrespect the national symbol.
The reform is designed to reinforce the responsibility of Venezuelans to honor and defend the nation’s symbols. Carreño specifically targeted “citizens who claim to be Venezuelans” and accused them of “vilifying” the flag by displaying versions not in accordance with the current law—such as flags with seven stars, used before 2006.
In 2006, under the leadership of Hugo Chávez, an additional eight star was added to the Venezuelan flag to represent the province of Guayana.
Carreño warned that if the law is not respected voluntarily, compliance would be enforced through coercion, stating, “If the law is not complied with out of belief, let it be complied with out of fear of the penalties that may result.”
Image: Anyul Rivas, CC BY-NC 2.0