In Venezuela, an amnesty law that will allow the release of many people imprisoned for political reasons has been approved.
The amnesty bill, which includes the collective release of political detainees and was proposed by Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez, was passed by the National Assembly.
After the bill was approved, Rodríguez signed it into law, stating that it showed the country’s political leaders were “letting go of intolerance and opening new paths for politics in Venezuela.”
This development, long demanded by the opposition in Venezuela, is expected to benefit many people imprisoned for political reasons, including politicians, journalists, and lawyers.
The amnesty law aims to provide “general and full amnesty” for offenses committed during specific periods of political conflict in Venezuela since 1999. These include “acts of politically motivated violence” during the 2024 presidential election.
This move is being seen as the latest policy change following the U.S. military’s January 3 operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. In the days after Maduro’s capture, Rodríguez’s government had announced it would free a significant number of prisoners.