Venezuela's acting president signs amnesty law that could release hundreds of political detainees
The law reverses decades of government denials about holding political prisoners, following last month's U.S. military operation in Caracas.
17 min ago
Venezuela's acting president signed an amnesty bill into law Thursday that could lead to the release of hundreds of politicians, activists, lawyers and others held on political grounds, marking a significant policy reversal for the South American nation.
Acting President Delcy RodrĂguez, who proposed the bill late last month, signed the measure into law hours after it was approved by the country's legislature. The amnesty effectively acknowledges what Venezuelan authorities have denied for decades—that the government has held political prisoners.
Opposition members, activists, human rights defenders, journalists and others who were targeted by the governing party over the past 27 years could benefit from the new law. The approval represents a stark turn for a government whose authorities have long maintained they do not detain people for political reasons.
The amnesty is the latest policy shift following last month's U.S. military operation in Caracas on January 3, which resulted in the capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro. That raid prompted a series of changes in Venezuelan governance and policy direction under the acting president's administration.
Families of detained individuals have long advocated for the release of those they consider political prisoners. On Wednesday, February 18, people gathered outside the United Nations office in Caracas to protest and call for the release of their detained family members.