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Venezuela Announces Potential Amnesty for Political Prisoners Amidst Maduro’s Capture and Oil Sector Shift
A possibly historic amnesty bill in Venezuela offers a path to the release of hundreds of political prisoners,signaling a dramatic shift in the South American nation’s political landscape following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and a sweeping overhaul of its oil industry.
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced the proposed law on January 3, stating it would cover “the entire period of political violence as 1999 to the present” during a televised address from the country’s Supreme Court. This period encompasses the era of the Chavista government, initiated by the late Hugo Chávez and continued under his successor, Maduro, who was taken into custody with his wife, Cilia Flores, by US special forces. Both are currently in New York facing drug trafficking charges, allegations they deny.
The announcement represents a significant political opening in Venezuela, where activists, journalists, and opposition figures have faced consistent targeting by authorities. Arrests surged during Maduro’s 13-year tenure, coinciding with a deepening economic and humanitarian crisis.Rodríguez expressed hope that the law would “heal the wounds left by political confrontation, by violence and by extremism, and that helps put justice on the right path in our country and that fosters coexistence among Venezuelan men and women.”
Initial reports suggest a considerable number of prisoners have already been released.Government figures claim approximately 800 individuals have been freed since Maduro’s arrest,however,rights groups have independently verified closer to 300 releases. As of January 28, Foro Penal, a Caracas-based watchdog institution, reported 711 political prisoners remained in the country.
Alfredo Romero, the director of Foro Penal, cautiously welcomed the proposal, stating, “A general amnesty is welcome as long as its elements and conditions include all of civil society, without discrimination, and do not turn it into a cloak of impunity, while contributing to the dismantling of the repressive apparatus of political persecution.”
The developments coincide with the release of all known US citizens detained in Venezuela, as announced by the US embassy in Caracas shortly before Rodríguez’s announcement. While the exact number of Americans held is unknown, estimates suggest around five individuals were affected.
Beyond prisoner releases, the government also announced the closure of El helicoide, a notorious unfinished shopping mall that served as a prison under maduro’s administration. It will be repurposed into a “social, sports, cultural and commercial center.” Rodríguez implored those released to “not impose vengeance, retaliation or hatred,” emphasizing an opportunity for peaceful coexistence.
The proposed amnesty law is slated to be sent to the National Assembly, led by Rodríguez’s brother, Jorge, where the government’s coalition holds a commanding majority. This move follows a significant policy reversal on Thursday, with Venezuela approving a new hydrocarbons law effectively ending the state’s decades-long dominance of the oil sector. Simultaneously, the US treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a “general licence” permitting American groups to purchase and resell Venezuelan crude.
María Corina Machado, the opposition’s leading figure and last year’s Nobel Peace Prize laureate, attributed the amnesty law to US pressure. “When repression disappears and fear is lost, it is the end of tyranny,” Machado stated during a literary festival appearance, adding, “This is not something the regime has done voluntarily; rather, it is a response to pressure from the US government and hopefully the prisoners will soon be reunited with thier families.”
These interconnected developments – Maduro’s capture, the potential amnesty, the oil sector reforms, and the release
