Venezuela Parliament chief vows quick release of remaining political prisoners

Venezuela's caput of Parliament connected Friday (February 6, 2026) promised the speedy merchandise of remaining governmental prisoners during a gathering with their relatives successful which helium promised to close the government's "mistakes".

"By Friday (February 13, 2026) astatine the latest they volition each beryllium free," Jorge Rodriguez, a erstwhile subordinate of ousted person Nicolas Maduro's interior circle, told prisoners' families extracurricular the notorious Zona 7 detention centre successful Caracas. "We are going to rectify each the mistakes that person been made," helium said.

It was not wide whether helium was referring to each remaining governmental prisoners — estimated to fig astir 700 by rights groups — oregon lone those being held astatine Zona 7.

The gathering came a time aft National Assembly members gave their archetypal backing to a draught amnesty covering the types of crimes utilized to fastener up dissidents during 27 years of socialist rule.

But Venezuela's largest Opposition conjugation denounced "serious omissions" successful the amnesty measures connected Friday (February 6, 2026), aft a shorter and much wide draught of the instrumentality was released compared to the erstwhile mentation circulated the time before.

The substance "excludes ample groups of civilian and subject governmental prisoners," "does not found mechanisms for reparation to victims" and "does not warrant the harmless instrumentality of exiles," the Democratic Unitary Platform conjugation said successful a statement.

Acting President Delcy Rodriguez is pushing the Bill arsenic a milestone connected the way to reconciliation, a period aft the U.S. overthrow of Maduro.

Jorge Rodriguez, her brother, said the authorities would "repair each the mistakes" of Chavismo — the anti-U.S., socialist doctrine of precocious firebrand person Hugo Chavez and his successor Maduro. He said helium expected Parliament to implicit the adoption of the Bill arsenic aboriginal arsenic Tuesday (February 10, 2026) .

"As soon arsenic the instrumentality is adopted, they (prisoners) volition besides beryllium released the aforesaid day," helium said. Relatives surrounded the interim leader's brother, clamouring for the merchandise of their loved ones.

"Help maine get my household subordinate retired of there, please," a pistillate told him. "We're going to get them each out," helium replied portion hugging different household member. Nancy Plaza, whose hubby is detained successful Zona 7, said she told Mr. Rodriguez that "there are galore mothers suffering" due to the fact that of the detentions.

"I told him to delight bash it for my children, for me, for each the governmental prisoners," she told AFP. "We request him to beryllium released. I'm going to judge that helium volition support his promise."

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