US Edition
Venezuela Passed a Law to Free Hundreds of Political Prisoners After US Pressure. Here’s Why some Welcome It Cautiously
- On Thursday, Venezuela's National Assembly approved a limited amnesty bill that could free politicians, activists, and others detained for political reasons, with Acting President Delcy Rodríguez expected to sign it after the vote.
- Acting President Delcy Rodríguez proposed the bill weeks after the U.S. military captured President Nicolás Maduro on Jan. 3, while the interim government bowed to Trump administration demands and released hundreds of prisoners.
- The law retroactively covers politically motivated prosecutions since 1999, excludes serious crimes under Article 9, and Foro Penal estimates over 600 remain detained while tribunals must decide requests within 15 days.
- Families have camped outside detention centers and some began a hunger strike Thursday, while some detainees, including a mother and her 6-month-old baby, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez stated that releases would be swift.
- Human rights organizations warned the law could be used selectively, urging transparency and broader reforms, as the government announced plans to close El Helicoide detention center into community services.
89 Articles
89 Articles
"We must be able to ask for forgiveness," said Delcy Rodriguez, after signing the text that covers events that have occurred in 13 specific periods. If persons who have committed "serious violations of human rights", "crimes against humanity", "homicides", "drug trafficking" or "corruption offences" are excluded, those who have "promote, instigate, solicited, invoked, promoted, facilitated, financed or participated" in "armed actions" against Ve…
This law was demanded by the opposition and by the United States, which had made it an indispensable condition for the reopening of the oil market, but many exceptions will limit the scope of this amnesty.
The Chavismo-controlled National Assembly approved Thursday the amnesty law for political prisoners in Venezuela, after a week of negotiations marked by disagreements over the scope of the measure, which generated strong doubts among organizations and family members about whether activists and opponents in exile could benefit from the measure. The initiative, promoted by dictator Delcy Rodríguez, was approved in second discussion, after two hour…
Hundreds of political prisoners could soon be released in Venezuela. Parliament approved a long-standing law on amnesty demanded by the opposition. Prior to this, prisoners were already released.
The law was promulgated a few hours after its approval by the Venezuelan legislature and will allow the release of activists, opponents, journalists and lawyers detained in cases linked to political conflicts since 1999
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