An amnesty law being considered by the Venezuelan Legislature would grant immediate clemency to people arrested for participating in political protests and criticizing public figures, return the assets of those detained and cancel Interpol and other international measures against people covered by the bill, allowing them to return to the country, according to a draft of the law seen by Reuters on Thursday.
The law, announced last week by interim President Delcy Rodríguez, would lead to the release of hundreds of people in its current form, but is still under debate in the National Assembly, controlled by the ruling Socialist Party.
Rodríguez, who took office after the US captured and deposed President Nicolás Maduro, has been complying with US demands on oil deals and the government is slowly releasing people classified as political prisoners by human rights groups and the country’s opposition.
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His brother Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, was due to read the introduction of the amnesty bill at a session this Thursday. To be approved, the law must be approved in two debates.
The law, in its current form, would not grant amnesty to those convicted of human rights violations, war crimes, murder, corruption, or drug trafficking.
A long list of crimes, including instigation of illegal activities, resistance to authorities, damage to property, rebellion, treason and illegal possession of weapons, will be covered by the amnesty law if they were committed in the context of political protests, according to the draft seen by Reuters, including mass protests that shook the country and led to deaths in 2007, 2014, 2017, 2019 and 2024.
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The latest demonstrations, in 2024, occurred after a contested election that, according to the Venezuelan opposition and international observers, was won by the opposition, but the government and judicial authorities supported Maduro, swearing him in for a third term.
