CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s legislature passed a amnesty bill that could lead to the release of politicians, activists, lawyers and many others, essentially recognizing that the government has kept hundreds of people in prison for political motives.
The approval marks a major turn for the South American country, where authorities have denied holding political prisoners for decades. It is the latest policy change following the stunning US military incursion into the country’s capital, Caracas, to capture then-president Nicolás Maduro.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguezwho introduced the bill late last month, is expected to sign the measure.
Rodríguez proposed the bill weeks after the U.S. military Maduro captured on January 3 in Caracas and took him to New York are facing drug trafficking charges.
The Venezuelan government has been quick to comply with orders from US President Donald Trump’s administration, including last month’s regulatory overhaul the country’s oil
As presented last week, the purpose of the bill is to grant people “general and full amnesty for crimes or misdemeanors committed” during specific periods since 1999 that have been characterized by politically driven conflicts in Venezuela, including “acts of politically motivated violence” in the context of the 2024 presidential election. The aftermath of those elections led to protests and the arrest of more than 2,000 people, including minors.
Lawmakers voted in favor of the measure’s purpose, but they paused debate over disagreements over who would be covered, such as people the government has accused of various crimes but have evaded trial by hiding in Venezuela or exiled abroad. Ruling party lawmakers, including Maduro’s son, insisted during last week’s debate that these individuals must first appear before the justice system to qualify for amnesty, as Venezuelan law does not allow people to be tried in absentia.
“If someone sins, I do not deny myself at home; I have to go to church, I will go to confession (and say): ‘Father, I confess that I have sinned,’” said Nicolás Maduro Guerra, comparing the church to Venezuela’s legal system. “That is why the ritual is to say: ‘I have come to the rule of law and I recognize that we are under the law, under strong institutions that have endured and maintained the republic’ …important.”
However, his statement ignores that many of the suspects, including people currently in jail, often face trumped-up charges, are not provided with lawyers, and do not have access to any evidence against them. It also overlooks the fact that cases are overseen by loyal judges loyal to the ruling party.
General amnesty has long been a central demand of the Venezuelan opposition and human rights groups, but they have viewed the proposal with cautious optimism and raised several concerns about its appropriateness and implementation.
Venezuela-based prisoner rights organization Foro Penal estimates that more than 600 people are in custody for political reasons.
In the days following Maduro’s capture, Rodríguez’s government announced this it would release a significant number of prisoners. But family members and human rights watchdogs have criticized the slow pace of the release. Foro Penal has added 448.
Families hoping for the release of their loved ones have spent days outside detention centers. Some started a hunger strike on Saturday.
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