Venezuela’s National Assembly has unanimously approved a long-anticipated “Amnesty Law,” paving the way for the potential release of hundreds of political detainees imprisoned on charges related to anti-government activities. The legislation, passed Thursday, excludes individuals accused or convicted of inciting or participating in armed actions against the state—carving out a category that may include prominent opposition figures.
Among those potentially covered is Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado, who faces allegations by the ruling party of urging foreign intervention to remove former President Nicolás Maduro from power. Those implicated in armed operations with foreign support, however, will remain ineligible under Article 9 of the law.
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power on 3 January after Maduro was detained during a U.S. military operation, signed the bill at the Miraflores Presidential Palace. “Just as people must know how to ask for forgiveness, they must also know how to receive it,” Rodríguez said during the signing ceremony, emphasizing reconciliation as a guiding principle.
The law applies retroactively to cases dating back to 1999, encompassing a wide array of politically sensitive events: the attempted coup against Hugo Chávez, the 2002 oil strike, and the unrest following Maduro’s disputed 2024 re-election. The decision has rekindled hope among families of detainees, many of whom have reported dire conditions, including neglect and mistreatment.
Yet critics remain wary. Human rights groups caution that the government may exploit the law to absolve allies while denying justice to genuine political prisoners. Venezuela’s Foro Penal, a prominent rights organization, estimates that although roughly 450 detainees have been released since Maduro’s fall, more than 600 individuals remain behind bars.
UN human rights experts in Geneva urged Caracas to ensure that the law applies strictly to victims of politically motivated prosecutions, excluding those involved in crimes against humanity or serious rights violations.
Families of detainees, many of whom have been staging sit-ins and hunger strikes for weeks outside various prisons, say they will judge the government by its actions, not promises.
“For national reconciliation to be meaningful, the government must demonstrate genuine political will,” said Gonzalo Himiob, director of Foro Penal. “That responsibility now lies squarely with the National Assembly.”
Source: AFP.