Relatives of political prisoners in Venezuela remain chained around a Caracas prison to protest the failure to fulfill the promise made a week ago by the president of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, regarding the release of “all” the detainees on the same day that the amnesty law was approvedwhich has not yet happened.
About ten relatives have remained chained for 24 hours in that detention center known as Zone 7, where they also claim to have spent the night to demand the release of their relatives since January 8, when Rodríguez announced the release of a “significant number” of people.
A week ago, a deputy was in front of the detention center and assured that the releases would become effective once Parliament approved the amnesty law, which he estimated would happen this week. However, the Legislature postponed the discussion on Thursday.
Sandra Rosales, wife of political prisoner and police officer Dionnys Quintero, asked for “a prompt response” from the president of Parliament and stated that she is waiting for “some news” about the cases of the political prisoners in Zone 7.
“He made the promise and we are attached to that promise,” Rosales told Efe.
She stated that she will continue in the place “until she has an answer” about her husband, despite acknowledging that she does not want to stay there any longer due to the “psychological and physical wear and tear” it represents for her and the other family members.
“It’s exhausting. We stay here because we hope to see our relatives leave,” he acknowledged.
Mileidy Mendoza, another of the chained women and wife of Eric Díaz, considered that the matter of the releases is being dragged out and declared to Efe that there is no will to free the political prisoners.
He recalled that there were releases before the president in charge, Delcy Rodriguezproposed the amnesty law, at the end of January.
“Many people who were released did not wait for that law. Why do we have to wait? (…). They have to leave with or without this amnesty law,” said Mendoza.
Regarding the chaining, he assured that there were police officers who described the event as a “show” and threatened the relatives with suspending visits if they did not stop the protest. However, they added that they will remain chained until their relatives are freed.
The Parliament, controlled by Chavismo, postponed on Thursday to next week the second and final debate necessary for the approval of the amnesty law for the cases of political prisoners since 1999, as there were differences over an article that requires those prosecuted and convicted to appear before justice.
This amnesty project is part of a “new political moment”, announced by Delcy Rodríguez in the context of a release process that began on January 8, five days after the United States captured Nicolás Maduro in a military operation in Caracas.
