Chávez and Bolívar Portraits Removed from Caracas Justice Palace Facade

The interim government of Venezuela, led by President Delcy Rodríguez, has taken down the large portraits of Hugo Chávez and Simón Bolívar that have prominently adorned the facade of the Justice Palace in Caracas for years. This building stands opposite Avenida Bolívar, one of the busiest thoroughfares in the heart of the Venezuelan capital.

According to the independent news outlet Monitoreamos, these images have been replaced with two substantial blue banners bearing the slogan "Plan Venezuela Renace." This initiative is part of the reconstruction efforts launched by the Chavista regime following the twin earthquakes on June 24, 2026, which resulted in over 6,500 deaths, as per official data.

Journalist Robert Lobo, who captured and shared a video of the change on social media, also confirmed this development on Tuesday. "I was surprised to see that the images of Hugo Chávez and Simón Bolívar were removed," Lobo remarked, noting that local residents reported the removal occurred over the previous weekend.

Political Undertones and Election Strategy

Lobo suggested a potential electoral motive behind the new institutional imagery: the "Plan Venezuela Renace" might also function as a campaign slogan in anticipation of the presidential elections expected next year.

The dismantled image of Bolívar was not a traditional depiction of the Liberator but rather stemmed from a controversial scientific and forensic study commissioned by the Venezuelan government in 2010. Utilizing a CT scan of Bolívar's skull, experts digitally reconstructed his 3D likeness. This image, unveiled by then-leader Hugo Chávez on July 24, 2012, was declared the “official and true” face of Bolívar.

Broader Symbolic Shifts

For Lobo, these actions reflect a clear political message: "It's another way the interim government led by the Rodríguez siblings is distancing itself from the images of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro."

This symbolic shift isn't limited to the Justice Palace. Monitoreamos reports that similar iconography, including the removal of portraits from the Néstor Kirchner Hall in the Miraflores Palace—originally inaugurated by Chávez to honor the former Argentine president—and from the government fair "Venezuela Come Pescado," where images of Chávez, Maduro, and Cilia Flores have made way for the current administration's branding.

This broader move away from traditional Chavista symbols includes replacing the color red with blue in official materials, eliminating Chavista missions and foundations, and removing military figures linked to Chávez.

Venezuela has been without Maduro for over seven months, following his capture by U.S. forces on January 3, 2026, while opposition groups and labor unions demand elections before year's end.

These changes have sparked tensions within the Chavista ranks. Freddy Bernal, the governor of Táchira, protested in June against the removal of Chávez and Maduro portraits in public offices in his state, mandating their continued display in official departments under his jurisdiction.