Brief
Former judge María Lourdes Afiuni has been granted full freedom after being punished under the concept of “spiritual corruption,” an offense the article says does not exist in Venezuela’s Penal Code. Her case highlights the judiciary’s use of an unsupported legal theory against a former judge. The end of her restrictions resolves her personal legal status but does not, by itself, establish a broader institutional change.
Afiuni’s full release removes a prominent example of prolonged judicial coercion, but the case remains evidence of legal unpredictability. Investors will distinguish between an isolated resolution and any durable improvement in judicial independence, due process and the enforceability of established law.
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Trade · El Estímulo
Aug 11, 2026
Watch for publication of the court’s decision, confirmation that all restrictions have been removed, and any subsequent judicial or legislative action addressing the use of offenses not established in the Penal Code.