Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, enacted a general amnesty law Thursday night that opens the possibility of releasing politicians, activists, lawyers, journalists, and other citizens imprisoned for political reasons, according to the text approved by the legislature. The law was signed a few hours after its parliamentary approval and establishes the immediate review of cases related to political confrontations since 1999.
The approval represents a significant shift in Venezuelan politics after decades in which authorities denied the existence of political prisoners. The change comes weeks after the capture of narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro during a U.S. military operation in Caracas, an event that precipitated the formation of a transitional government and a series of measures aimed at reversing previous decisions.
During the enactment ceremony, Rodríguez maintained that the initiative reflects a change in attitude among the national leadership. “We are moving away from intolerance and opening new avenues for politics in Venezuela,” she stated. The interim president also described the legislation as a historic step toward pacification and indicated that the goal is for the country to learn to “live together democratically and peacefully.”
