Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela/Title 1
CONSTITUTION
Title I
Fundamental Principles
Article 1: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is irrevocably
free and independent, basing its moral property and values of freedom, equality, justice and international peace on the doctrine of
Simón Bolívar, the Liberator. Independence, liberty, sovereignty,
immunity, territorial integrity and national self-determination are
unrenounceable rights of the Nation.
Article 2: Venezuela constitutes itself as a Democratic and Social
State of Law and Justice, which holds as superior values of its legal
order and actions those of life, liberty, justice, equality, solidarity,
democracy, social responsibility and, in general, the preeminence of
human rights, ethics and political pluralism.
Article 3: The essential purposes of the State are the protection
and development of the individual and respect for the dignity of the
individual, the democratic exercise of the will of the people, the building of a just and peace-loving society, the furtherance of the prosperity and welfare of the people and the guaranteeing of the Fulfillment
of the principles, rights and duties established in this Constitution.
Education and work are the fundamental processes for guaranteeing these purposes.
Article 4: The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a decentralized
Federal State on the terms set forth in this Constitution, governed by
the principles of territorial integrity, cooperation, solidarity, attendance and shared responsibility.
Article 5: Sovereignty resides untransferable in the people, who
exercise it directly in the manner provided for in this Constitution and
in the law, and indirectly, by suffrage, through the organs exercising Public Power. The organs of the State emanate from and are subject
to the sovereignty of the people.
Article 6: The government of the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela and of the political organs comprising the same, is and
shall always be democratic, participatory, elective, decentralized,
alternative, responsible and pluralist, with revocable mandates.
Article 7: The Constitution is the supreme law and foundation of
the legal order. All persons and organs exercising Public Power are
subject to this Constitution.
Article 8: The national flag with its yellow, blue and red stripes,
the National Anthem “Gloria al bravo pueblo” (Glory to the Brave
People), and the coat of arms of the Republic are the symbols of the
native land.
Law shall regulate their characteristics, meaning and use.
Article 9: Spanish is the official language. The use of native languages also has official status for native peoples, and must be respected throughout the territory of the Republic, as constituting part of the
cultural heritage of the Nation and humanity.