Venezuela's National Assembly gives unanimous approval to amnesty bill

"Venezuela's National Assembly on Thursday passed an amnesty bill that could release hundreds of political prisoners from jail and drop the prosecution of political refugees living in hiding or exile. The bill was approved unanimously after two weeks of consultations with various political and civil society sectors. While the new law incorporates many of the legal points negotiated by opposition lawmakers to ensure broader coverage, it explicitly excludes military personnel 174 of the approximately 600 political prisoners who remain incarcerated who are accused of rebellion."

"The bill was immediately sent to Miraflores Palace for interim president Delcy Rodriguez to sign. You have to know how to ask for forgiveness, you have to know how to receive forgiveness, she said. A parliamentary commission of 23 lawmakers will be responsible for monitoring the application of the amnesty and, in the case of the opposition, fighting for the review of cases that ended up being excluded."

"The approved text limits the scope of the amnesty to 13 specific periods of political and social upheaval that occurred between 1999 and 2026, three more than initially proposed. This list includes, for example, the entire period of the National Assembly's activity between 2016 and 2021, when it was controlled by the opposition and the Chavista regime blocked its functioning and opened investigations into dozens of opposition members."

Venezuela's National Assembly approved an amnesty law that could free hundreds of political prisoners and end prosecutions of political refugees in hiding or exile. The law passed unanimously after two weeks of consultations with political and civil society sectors. The text excludes military personnel — about 174 of roughly 600 remaining incarcerated political prisoners — accused of rebellion. The measure was sent to interim president Delcy Rodriguez to sign. A 23-member parliamentary commission will monitor amnesty application and pursue review of excluded cases. The amnesty covers 13 periods of political unrest from 1999 to 2026, including 2016–2021 Assembly actions, 2023 primaries, and July 2024 election violence.

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