Venezuela's new amnesty law gets a chilly response from the opposition and detainees' families

CARACAS, Venezuela — Members of Venezuela 's opposition, prisoners' rights groups and relatives of people long detained for political reasons gave a lukewarm reception Friday to an amnesty measure expected to free hundreds of people, including political activists and human rights defenders.

Some viewed the law as a small but significant victory for the thousands targeted during the ruling party's 27-year tenure. Others considered it a mockery of the pain of families and people behind bars — particularly members of the military, who were excluded from the measure.

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Thursday signed the amnesty measure into law, signaling a major shift in policy following last month's stunning U.S. military raid in the capital, Caracas, to capture then-President Nicolás Maduro.

Venezuelan authorities for decades denied holding any political prisoners. But Rodríguez said during the signing ceremony that the law showed leaders were ''letting go of a little intolerance and opening new avenues for politics in Venezuela.''

Skepticism over amnesty request process

Venezuela-based prisoners' rights group Foro Penal estimates that more than 600 people are in custody for political reasons.

Under the new law, trial courts must approve each amnesty request within 15 days. However, the requirement for judicial oversight has fueled skepticism about how applications will be handled.

Romero underscored that the new law is not a prerequisite for the government to free prisoners, like it has done since Jan. 8, when Rodríguez's government announced it would release ''a significant number." Foro Penal has counted 448 releases since then.

The law grants eligible people ''a general and full amnesty for crimes or offenses committed'' during specific periods since 1999 that were marked by politically driven conflicts in Venezuela, including ''acts of politically motivated violence'' in the context of the 2024 presidential election and 2025 legislative and regional elections.

Foro Penal's vice president, Gonzalo Himiob, on Friday said 2,742 people detained in the context of those elections are eligible for amnesty under the new law. Of those, he said, 321 remain in custody, while 2,186 were released but must comply with court conditions such as regular check-ins.

Some could be left out

The amnesty excludes those convicted of human rights violations, war crimes, murder, drug trafficking or corruption. It also denies relief to people ''who are being prosecuted or may be prosecuted or convicted of promoting, instigating, soliciting, invoking, favoring, facilitating, financing, or participating in armed or forceful actions against'' Venezuela ''by foreign states, corporations or individuals.''

Relatives of those detained have called on the Trump administration, specifically its top diplomat in Venezuela, Laura Dogu, to pressure Venezuela's government for their release. Others, like Claudia Morillo, the wife of a prisoner, have appealed directly to the humanity of Venezuelan officials.

Morillo's husband, Jhon Hader Betancurt, is serving a 30-year sentence for treason and rebellion after being photographed shaking hands with an opposition leader in 2019. Although Foro Penal classifies him as a ''political prisoner,'' Morillo noted that he remains ineligible for amnesty because authorities labeled his case one of military rebellion even though he is a civilian.

''Put your hand on your heart,'' she urged officials. ''If we are truly talking about reconciliation, act truthfully and justly.''

The law also allows people living in exile to seek amnesty through a lawyer, removing the requirement to return to Venezuela to file in person. Once someone abroad has filed a request for amnesty, the law shields them from arrest when they return to the country for their scheduled court rulings.

Magalli Meda, Machado's 2024 campaign manager, took to social media to reject the law. Meda has been in exile since May, when she and other Machado staffers left the Argentine diplomatic compound in Caracas, where they had sheltered for more than a year to avoid arrest.

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