“I announce a general amnesty law and order that this law be brought to the National Assembly to promote coexistence in Venezuela,” said Rodríguez.
MIAMI, United States. – The president in charge of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, announced this Friday a “general amnesty law” for political prisoners in the country and ordered that the initiative be sent to the National Assembly of Venezuela, with the objective of “favoring national coexistence,” according to her statement at an event held in the Superior Court of Justice.
“I announce a general amnesty law and order that this law be brought to the National Assembly to promote coexistence in Venezuela,” Rodríguez said. “I ask everyone that no one imposes violence or revenge, so that we all live with respect,” he added, after stating that it was a decision discussed with Nicolas Maduro.
The announcement aims to judicially close the files of those who have already been released from prison during the release process opened in January, and to expand the scope to the hundreds of detainees who are still imprisoned for political reasons, according to the reconstruction published by The Country.
The newspaper points out that the new amnesty would be broader than the releases processed until now, because many released prisoners have been placed under precautionary measures that limit their daily lives, including the prohibition of leaving the country, making statements or accessing certain jobs.
The proposal comes amid contradictory figures on the number of releases: the ruling party has maintained that they exceed 600, while defense organizations have verified just over 300 in the last month, with variations depending on the cut and the source. The NGO Foro Penal reported this week that it has confirmed the release of 302 political prisoners since January 8.
That process began after the US operation that culminated in the capture of Maduro on January 3.
Beyond the amnesty announcement, the demand for full freedoms persists. NGOs consulted by EFE have warned that several releases have materialized with restrictions that include prohibitions on leaving the country, limitations on testifying to the press and periodic obligations to appear before courts. According to The Countrythis scheme leaves those released exposed to new pressures and a wide margin of police discretion.
The amnesty announced by Rodríguez is also part of a discussion reactivated by relatives of detainees and civil society actors, who have demanded a move from partial releases to a legal framework that erases causes and restores rights. The president of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, had announced days before the release of “a significant number” of detainees, although opposition sectors and civil organizations considered the movement insufficient as long as there were still jails with people unjustly detained.
In parallel, a text of the “Amnesty Law Proposal” promoted by the Committee of Mothers in Defense of Truth proposes a more detailed design for a general amnesty. The document sets February 1, 2014 as the starting point and proposes that the amnesty benefit people investigated, prosecuted or convicted for political causes who are deprived of liberty, under restrictive measures or in exile, with the explicit inclusion of social activists, journalists, victims’ committees, persecuted soldiers and political leaders.
The text defines as its object “establishing the legal framework to grant amnesty” and, in its scope of application, establishes that “a general and full amnesty is granted” from that date until the publication of the law in the Official Gazette.
The proposal also incorporates exclusions: the document maintains that the process must be developed “expressly excluding” those who are investigated, prosecuted or convicted of serious violations of human rights and crimes against humanity, and contemplates verification and monitoring mechanisms.
