The president of the Special Commission for the Amnesty Law Project, deputy Jorge Arreaza, shared through social networks the legal instrument that is being debated with the different sectors of the country, so that anyone who wishes can study it and make their contributions.
The bill was approved in the first discussion by the Venezuelan Parliament last Thursday, February 5, unanimously.
During the presentation of the proposal, Arreaza highlighted that this initiative by the acting president Delcy Rodríguez cannot be confused with impunity and responds to the awareness of the political moment.
Likewise, he indicated that the project must be debated in the communities, since, in his opinion, they are “the true victims of the blockade and violence” that was experienced in the country.
Also, to guarantee the maximum participation of all social sectors, the Special Commission enabled email [email protected] for receiving contributions.
The legal instrument being debated includes 13 articles, where the principles of the functioning of a Democratic and Social State of Law and Justice are generally reaffirmed. In its article number 2, it is highlighted that this law aims to:
- Contribute to promoting peace, democratic coexistence and national reconciliation.
- Generate conditions that favor the harmonious development of national life, public tranquility, democratic participation and political pluralism.
- Promote the use of democratic and constitutional mechanisms to resolve differences that arise within society and thus prevent the events subject to the amnesty provided for in this Law from being repeated.
Later, in article 6, it is specified that those people who have been prosecuted or convicted for the alleged or proven commission of political or related crimes may benefit from this Amnesty Law, from January 1, 1999 to January 30, 2026.
In that sense, the amnestiable acts are specified, numbering a total of 10, which are detailed below:
- The Coup d’état of April 11, 2002, including the assaults and attacks against governorates, mayors’ offices, and public and private facilities.
- The acts of violence for political reasons within the framework of the business and oil strike and sabotage from December 2002 to February 2003.
- The politically motivated acts of violence that occurred in February and March 2004. [Entre el 27 de febrero y el 4 de marzo de ese año. Se registraron protestas en el país, convocadas por partidos de oposición en el marco de la convocatoria a referéndum revocatorio y que derivó en múltiples detenciones]
- The politically motivated acts of violence that occurred in August 2004. [Tras la celebración del referéndum revocatorio que gana el presidente Hugo Chávez, con más del 59% de los votos a favor, dirigentes de oposición, entre ellos María Corina Machado, denuncian fraude e intentan imponer la violencia mediante las protestas que terminaron en enfrentamientos y detenciones]
- The politically motivated acts of violence that occurred in May 2007. [Entre mayo y agosto de 2007 se registran dos acontecimientos que generaron violencia en el país: el vencimiento de la concesión al canal RCTV y la propuesta de reforma constitucional. En ambos, el llamado movimiento estudiantil “Manos Blancas”, escenificó las llamadas guarimbas (barricadas, quemas de infraestructuras, enfrentamientos con cuerpos policiales, entre otros actos de violencia), que motivaron a la detención de personas señaladas de participar en estos hechos]
- The acts of politically motivated violence that occurred within the framework of the presidential elections of April 2013. [Tras la muerte del comandante Hugo Chávez, se celebran las elecciones presidenciales donde resultó ganador el presidente Nicolás Maduro. Su principal adversario y perdedor, Henrique Capriles tras conocer la derrota, canta fraude y llama a “descargar la arrechera”. Ese hecho desencadenó una ola de protestas y arremetida contra instituciones del Estado, además de asesinatos de personas afines al proceso revolucionario]
- The politically motivated acts of violence that occurred between February and June 2014. [En este período, dirigentes de la extrema derecha como Leopoldo López, María Corina Machado y Antonio Ledezma lideraron las protestas convocadas bajo lo que denominaron como “La Salida”. Promoviendo marchas que terminaron en enfrentamientos violentos y con más de 43 personas fallecidas]
- The politically motivated acts of violence that occurred between March and August 2017. [Durante estos seis meses se descubrieron tres operaciones donde estaban involucrados, principalmente militares y políticos. “Espada de Dios”, “Escudo Zamorano” y “David”, así fueron identificadas. Todas perseguían el mismo objetivo: salir del gobierno por la vía violenta]
- The politically motivated acts of violence that occurred between January and April 2019. [Se suscita uno de los hechos más inéditos en el país. Juan Guaidó, entonces presidente de la AN, se autoproclama como presidente de la República, siendo reconocido por varios países, entre ellos Estados Unidos. También se escenifica la llamada “Batalla de los Puentes”, tras el intento que hizo la oposición de ingresar al país por la vía violenta lo que llamaron “ayuda humanitaria”. En este período también se promovió un alzamiento militar mediante la “Operación Libertad” que dirigió Leopoldo López y Guaidó]
- The acts of politically motivated violence that occurred within the framework of the presidential elections of July 2024.
The project, which is now entering a national public consultation phase, seeks to establish a legal framework that allows turning the page on the most acute civil conflicts of the last two decades.
After listing the 10 specific acts of violence, the legal instrument details the application mechanisms in its final articles. Article 11 establishes that the corresponding courts must issue freedom measures immediately once the law is enacted, while article 13 designates the Ombudsman’s Office as the body that oversees compliance with these guarantees.
With this call, the Special Commission hopes to receive proposals that strengthen the final text before its second discussion.
Below is the full draft of the Amnesty Law for Democratic Coexistence:
