In a move aimed at easing ongoing political unrest, Interim President Delcy Rodríguez of Venezuela has proposed a general amnesty law. Speaking on local television on Friday, she stated that individuals involved in or affected by political violence from 1999 to the present would be eligible for release under the new law.
The announcement comes shortly after the recent detention of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by U.S. military forces, and is being regarded as the most significant reform initiative undertaken by Rodríguez’s government to date.
President Rodríguez said, “Political conflict and extremism have left deep scars on our society. This amnesty law is intended to help heal those wounds.” She also urged the National Assembly to pass the bill swiftly.
Alongside the amnesty, Rodríguez announced the closure of Caracas’ notorious ‘El Helicoide’ prison, which has long faced allegations of torture and human rights abuses. Rather than demolishing the facility, she plans to transform it into a sports, social, and cultural center.
Human rights organization Foro Penal reports that 711 political prisoners are currently held across Venezuelan prisons. Since Maduro’s disappearance, the Rodríguez administration has already released 302 detainees. While Foro Penal president Alfredo Romero welcomed the initiative, he cautioned that the amnesty should not become a shield for criminal impunity.
Source: Al Jazeera