An amnesty law granting amnesty to political prisoners in Venezuela passed its first vote unanimously in Congress, stirring expectations among the country’s opposition forces.
On Thursday, lawmakers from both the ruling Socialist Party and the opposition spoke in favor of the new bill, known as the Amnesty for Democratic Coexistence Act.
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“There will be many obstacles and many bitter moments in the implementation of this law,” said National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez.
But he added that the country needed to “swallow hard” to move forward.
“We ask for forgiveness, but we must also forgive,” Rodriguez said.
But critics pointed out that the contents of the bill have not yet been made public and do not provide leniency for individuals accused of serious crimes such as drug trafficking, murder, corruption and human rights abuses.
Rather, media coverage of the bill indicates that it focuses on charges that are often levied against protesters and opposition leaders.
What does the bill say?
The bill would grant amnesty to individuals accused of crimes such as treason, terrorism, sedition, resisting authorities, inciting unlawful acts, and spreading hatred if those crimes were committed as part of political activity or protest.
Opposition leaders such as Maria Colina Machado will also have their bans lifted from running for public office.
Additionally, the law specifies certain events that are eligible for amnesty, including demonstrations that occurred in 2007, 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2024.
That period runs from the term of the late President Hugo Chávez, founder of the “Chavista” movement, to the term of his handpicked successor, President Nicolás Maduro.
Mr. Chávez and Mr. Maduro are accused of violently repressing opposition through arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
However, on January 3, the administration of US President Donald Trump launched a military operation in Venezuela to abduct President Maduro and his wife, Syria Flores. They have since been transferred to New York City, where they await trial on charges related to drug trafficking.
Venezuelan rebels have hailed the military operation as a long-awaited move, but experts say the United States likely violated international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty in removing President Maduro from power.
Weighing Maduro’s legacy
Images of Chávez were common during Thursday’s debate in Congress, which has been dominated by members of the Chávez movement since 2017.
That year, Venezuela’s Supreme Court dissolved the opposition-led National Assembly, temporarily absorbing its powers, and then re-establishing a parliament filled with Maduro supporters.
Maduro also claimed victory in disputed elections in 2018 and 2024, which critics say were marred by fraud.
For example, for the July 2024 vote, the government refused to release the tally of voters, as was previously standard. But the opposition obtained copies of nearly 80% of the tally, which contradicted the government’s claim that Maduro had won a third six-year term.
Even after Maduro’s abduction last month, remnants of Maduro’s regime remained in power.
Within days, his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, the sister of the National Assembly speaker, became interim president.
In her inaugural address, she condemned the “kidnapping of two heroes, President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, who are being held hostage.”
Nevertheless, Rodriguez has cooperated with U.S. demands, including supporting legislation to open Venezuela’s nationalized oil industry to foreign investment.
On Thursday, in the chamber of Congress, his brother Jorge held up a photo of Chávez holding a cross and giving a speech. Maduro’s son, Congressman Nicolas Maduro Guerra, also spoke.
Maduro Guerra said, “Venezuela cannot tolerate any more acts of revenge,” and appealed for “reconciliation.”
Venezuelan opposition also rebels
Still, opposition members in parliament expressed optimism about the bill.
For example, Congressman Tomas Guanipa called this the beginning of a “new historical chapter” in Venezuela’s history, saying that political dissidents would no longer be “afraid to speak out for fear of being imprisoned.”
Nearly 7.9 million Venezuelans have left the country in recent decades, fleeing political persecution and economic instability.
But in the weeks following Maduro’s abduction, concerns persist about the human rights situation in Venezuela and the safety of his return.
President Rodriguez has promised to release political detainees and close the notorious El Helicoid prison, where there have been reports of torture. But some experts say the number of people released does not match the number reported by the government.
For example, human rights organization Foro Penar has documented 383 releases since January 8.
However, this number is lower than the 900 political prisoners the government claims to have released. The Foro Prison Service estimates that there are currently 680 political prisoners in custody.
Opposition parties also claim that the government continues to intimidate and harass those who express sympathy for the removal of President Maduro and other views opposed to the Chavismo movement.
Still, Foro Prison Commissioner Alfredo Romero hailed the initial passage of the amnesty law as a step forward.
“Amnesty… is a framework to ensure that the past does not lead to a halt or derailment of the transition process,” Romero told AFP news agency.
The second vote is scheduled to take place next Tuesday.
