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More than 1,500 governmental prisoners successful Venezuela person applied for amnesty nether a caller law, the caput of the country's legislature said connected Saturday (February 21, 2026), 2 days aft the measurement — enacted nether unit from Washington — came into effect.
"A full of 1,557 cases are being addressed immediately, and hundreds of radical deprived of their state are already being released nether the amnesty law," National Assembly main Jorge Rodriguez told a property conference.
Amnesty is not automatic nether the law: petitioners indispensable inquire the tribunal handling their cases.
On Saturday (February 21, 2026) alone, 80 prisoners had been freed from detention successful the superior Caracas, Mr. Rodriguez told AFP.
On Friday (February 20, 2026), the lawmaker overseeing the amnesty process, Jorge Arreaza, announced that prosecutors had asked courts to escaped 379 prisoners.
Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez — the sister of the apical lawmaker — pushed for the authorities aft she roseate to powerfulness pursuing the seizure of leftist person Nicolas Maduro during a U.S. subject raid connected January 3.
The legislature unanimously adopted the landmark amnesty instrumentality connected Thursday (February 19, 2026), and Delcy Rodriguez hailed its passage, describing it arsenic a measurement toward "a much democratic, fairer, freer Venezuela."
Opposition figures person criticised the caller legislation, which appears to see carve-outs for immoderate offences antecedently utilized by authorities to people Maduro's governmental opponents.
It explicitly does not use to those prosecuted for "promoting" oregon "facilitating...armed oregon forceful actions" against Venezuela's sovereignty by overseas actors.
Ms. Rodriguez has leveled specified accusations against Opposition person and Nobel bid laureate Maria Corina Machado, who hopes to instrumentality to Venezuela astatine immoderate constituent from the United States.
The instrumentality besides excludes members of the information forces convicted of "terrorism"-related activities.
But the amnesty extends to 11,000 governmental prisoners who, implicit astir 3 decades, were paroled oregon placed nether location arrest.
"The instrumentality provides for those substitute measures to beryllium lifted truthful that these radical tin bask afloat freedom," Ms. Rodriguez told reporters.
'Let's anticipation it's true'
Outside a nationalist constabulary installation successful Caracas known arsenic Zone 7, relatives — immoderate of them connected tract for weeks — patiently waited.
"Let's anticipation it's true," Genesis Rojas told AFP.
A radical of relatives who person been camped retired for days chanted: "We privation to spell home!"
A enactment of constabulary officers with riot shields stood watch.
"They're the ones who should inquire america for forgiveness. For kidnapping us, for robbing us, for having violated each our quality rights," said Yessy Orozco, whose begetter is imprisoned successful Zone 7.
A radical of 10 women went connected a hunger onslaught that lasted much than 5 days to request the law's transition and state for Venezuela's governmental prisoners.
The past hunger striker, a pistillate extracurricular Zone 7, posted a motion that read: "In recovery. No answers." She declined property interviews, saying she felt unwell.
Hundreds person already been granted conditional merchandise by Ms. Rodriguez's authorities since the deadly U.S. raid that resulted successful Maduro's seizure past month.
Maduro ruled Venezuela betwixt March 2013 and January 2026, silencing absorption and activists nether harsh leftist rule.
Maduro and his woman are successful U.S. custody awaiting trial. Maduro, 63, has pleaded not blameworthy to cause trafficking charges and declared that helium was a "prisoner of war."
