Venezuela’s Ministry of Popular Power for Science and Technology published a Code of Ethics for the Responsible Development and Application of Artificial Intelligence on February 19, 2026. The Code contains nine principles to guide the responsible design, development, and implementation of AI systems, consolidating national ethical guidelines and aligning with international AI ethics standards. It was published concurrent with ongoing legislative review of the comprehensive AI Bill first introduced in late 2024.
The Code is a ministerial instrument rather than enacted legislation and operates alongside the still-pending AI Bill (which would create a National AI Agency as a supervisory body). The publication signals the Ministry’s intent to establish ethical governance norms even in advance of formal legislation.
Who it affects: AI developers, deployers, and users operating in Venezuela. The Code provides guidance for public institutions and private entities working with AI systems, though no enforcement mechanism is attached to the ministerial Code itself.
What is notably missing: The Code of Ethics is non-binding guidance — it creates no legal obligations and has no enforcement mechanism. The AI Bill that would establish a regulatory agency and binding legal framework remains pending in the National Assembly with no confirmed timeline for enactment. Venezuela lacks a national AI curriculum mandate, employer training requirement, or civil servant AI training standard.