Venezuela’s Attorney General Resigns as Post-Maduro Institutional Overhaul Begins
Caracas, Wednesday, 25 February 2026.
Attorney General Tarek William Saab resigned Wednesday, declaring the new Amnesty Act closes a “historical cycle,” as the National Assembly moves to dismantle the previous administration’s judicial power structure.
Dismantling the Citizen Power Branch
On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, the Venezuelan National Assembly, presided over by Jorge Rodríguez, formally received the resignation letters of Attorney General Tarek William Saab and Ombudsman Alfredo Ruiz [1][4]. This bureaucratic procedure triggers a constitutional mechanism requiring the legislature to establish a Nominations Committee to evaluate candidates for these now-vacant positions within the Citizen Power branch [1][3]. The resignations arrive less than two months after the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3, a seismic event that has accelerated the dismantling of the “Madurismo” political infrastructure [2][5]. While the parliament manages this transition, a legal vacuum has emerged; the text of Saab’s resignation indicated there is no active Deputy Attorney General to assume interim duties, necessitating the appointment of a temporary “person in charge” while the selection process advances [1].
The End of a Contentious Tenure
Tarek William Saab’s departure concludes a nine-year tenure defined by significant controversy and international scrutiny. Appointed in 2017 by the Constituent National Assembly and ratified as recently as October 2024 for a term intended to last until 2031, Saab was a central figure in the judicial apparatus of the previous administration [1]. His time in office was marked by U.S. sanctions imposed in 2017 for alleged human rights violations and the use of the penal system against political opponents, including investigations into opposition leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González [3][5]. Despite this record, Saab publicly framed his resignation and the parliament’s recent approval of the Amnesty Act as the conclusion of “an important historical cycle” meant to heal wounds caused by past conflicts [1][5]. In a recent media appearance, he even acknowledged the inevitability of renewed engagement between the Venezuelan and U.S. prosecutor’s offices [1].
Transition Amidst Persistent Friction
While the resignations suggest a high-level institutional pivot, the political landscape remains volatile. The National Assembly is reportedly planning further personnel changes across the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), the National Electoral Council (CNE), and the Comptroller General’s office, with figures like former CNE rector Enrique Márquez—recently released from prison—being considered for reinstatement [2]. However, the transition has not immediately halted punitive actions against the opposition. On the same day as the resignations, the political party Vente Venezuela denounced the confiscation of a residence in Caracas belonging to Laura Acosta, a personal assistant to María Corina Machado, labeling it an act of political retaliation [3]. This incident follows the confiscation of campaign manager Magalli Meda’s home just a week prior, indicating that the dismantling of the old power structure is accompanied by continuing friction on the ground [3].