Venezuela’s National Assembly has approved a sweeping amnesty law that could lead to the release of hundreds of political detainees, marking a significant shift after years of official denials that such prisoners existed.
The legislation, signed Thursday by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, follows mounting pressure from Washington after a January 3 US military operation in Caracas removed President Nicolás Maduro from power.
Rights groups and opposition figures have cautiously welcomed the measure while raising concerns about its scope and implementation.
The law grants amnesty to individuals prosecuted or convicted for political reasons from 1999, the start of Hugo Chávez’s presidency, through the present.
It covers opposition members, activists, journalists, students and others detained during protests in 2014, 2017, 2019 and subsequent demonstrations, as well as certain political events dating back to 2002.
However, it excludes those accused of homicide, drug trafficking, corruption, grave human rights violations, crimes against humanity, war crimes and some cases of military rebellion.
After signing the bill, Rodríguez described it as “an extraordinary door for Venezuela to reunite, for Venezuela to learn to coexist democratically and peacefully, for Venezuela to rid itself of hatred, of intolerance, let it open up to human rights.”
The government has said more than 800 people have been released in recent weeks, though the rights group Foro Penal reports 448 releases since January 8 and estimates that more than 600 people remain in custody for political reasons.
No official list of those freed has been published, and some former detainees face conditions such as travel bans and court appearances.
The push for amnesty has unfolded amid protests and debate.
Thousands of students demonstrated in Caracas on February 12, calling for unconditional releases and an end to alleged persecution.
Families of detainees have waited outside prisons, expressing frustration over delays.
Opposition reactions have been divided.
Some lawmakers called the measure a step toward reconciliation, while others questioned whether it could delay deeper political change.
Concerns intensified after opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa was re-arrested hours after his release and later placed under house arrest.
Alongside the amnesty, authorities announced plans to close and repurpose the El Helicoide detention center, long associated with political imprisonment.
Officials say the site will become a community facility, though critics argue it should serve as a memorial.
Observers in Venezuela and the United States are now watching whether the law results in broad, transparent releases and lasting political reform.