Venezuela passed a law to free hundreds of political prisoners after US pressure. Here’s why some welcome it cautiously

By Alessandra Freitas, CNN

Venezuelan lawmakers on Thursday passed new legislation that gives amnesty to hundreds of people who were prosecuted or convicted for political reasons during 27 years of authoritarian rule.

Rights groups and opposition members have cautiously welcomed the law, saying it offers an opportunity to ease the suffering of many, but that the process must be transparent and held to account.

Some say the bill didn’t go far enough, and have questioned whether an amendment to one of the articles could prevent activists and opposition members in exile from receiving amnesty.

Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez, who came to power after a US military operation removed President Nicolás Maduro, proposed the new amnesty law last month under pressure from Washington.

After signing the amnesty law, she described the moment as “an extraordinary door for Venezuela to reunite, for Venezuela to learn to coexist democratically and peacefully, for Venezuela to rid itself of hatred, of intolerance, let it open up to human rights.”

Many in Venezuela – and the United States – will now be watching closely to see whether the country’s remaining political prisoners will soon walk free.

A chance for peaceful ‘coexistence’

The law will grant general amnesty to political prisoners processed or convicted since 1999 – the start of Hugo Chávez’s presidency – through to the present day. This includes many opposition figures, activists, journalists, students and others detained during protests in 2014, 2017, 2019 and beyond.

However, the amnesty explicitly excludes those convicted or prosecuted for homicide, drug trafficking, corruption, grave human rights violations, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Lawmaker Jorge Arreaza, who presented the bill, highlighted these carve-outs to ensure the measure does not shield serious offenses.

The text, published by the assembly, frames the law as a tool to “repair deep wounds” from political confrontation and promote peaceful coexistence.

Hundreds of political prisoners are still locked up, according to human rights groups, and many of those released so far have faced restrictions and conditions such as travel bans, periodic court appearances and gag orders.

In Caracas, thousands of students held a rare mass protest on February 12, during a congressional debate on the bill, to demand the unconditional release of political prisoners and the end of what they consider persecution against dissidents.

The government announced last month it would free “a significant number” of prisoners in response to US pressure. Since then, more than 400 people have been released, according to rights group Foro Penal, though the tally lags official claims of over 800. Among those released are a mother and her 6-month-old baby, who had been born in prison, the opposition said Thursday.

No official public list of released individuals has been issued, but Rodríguez said she would invite the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights office to verify releases.

Upon full passage, the law could trigger immediate mass liberations, with National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez assuring families that releases would occur swiftly post-approval.

The bill passed its first discussion unanimously earlier this month, then advanced to public consultation before the final vote.

Reactions from opposition and rights groups

Opposition leader María Corina Machado said the amnesty proposal was the result of “real pressure” from the United States, which has been demanding the release of all political prisoners since it ousted Maduro. Machado expressed hope it would free hundreds of remaining detainees but doubted Delcy Rodríguez’s capacity to lead a genuine transition.

Rights organizations have also expressed cautious optimism. Foro Penal President Alfredo Romero said an amnesty was “welcome” if it was inclusive, non-discriminatory, free of impunity and contributed to the dismantling of political persecution mechanisms.

The Venezuelan Education-Action Program on Human Rights said that amnesty should not be seen as a “pardon” or state grace, given that many detainees were arbitrarily imprisoned for exercising rights protected by the constitution and international law.

Foro Penal Vice President Gonzalo Himiob added that amnesty does not imply admission of guilt or responsibility for any crime.

Some have questioned if the law will truly guarantee the liberty of ex-detainees. Those concerns were heightened after Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa, who had spent eight months as a political prisoner, was re-arrested earlier this month, just hours after being released.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said Guanipa had been detained for “calling people to the streets” – an apparent breach of his release conditions.

The opposition denounced the move, with the party Alianza Bravo Pueblo saying, “The so-called amnesty, that veneer of false dialogue, is dead before it was born.”

Guanipa is now under house arrest.

Closure and repurposing of El Helicoide

Along with the amnesty bill, the government announced last month that it would close and repurpose the notorious El Helicoide detention center in central Caracas. Once envisioned as a futuristic shopping mall, the spiral-shaped building became synonymous with repression under the Maduro government, housing the headquarters of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN) and holding many political detainees.

Reports from former prisoners and rights organizations describe overcrowding, poor sanitation, extortion and abuse inside its cells. Rodríguez said the facility would stop functioning as a prison and be transformed into “a center of social, sports, cultural and commercial services” for the community.

The move is meant to symbolize a shift away from the era’s repressive stance, though some critics argue the site should be preserved as a memory space for victims rather than repurposed commercially.

Treading a fine line in Venezuela’s power struggle

The amnesty push comes against the backdrop of Venezuela’s fragile post-Maduro landscape, with the acting government under Rodríguez navigating US pressure, economic challenges and calls for stability.

If enacted as promised, the law – and the expected closure of El Helicoide – could represent tangible progress toward reducing political tensions. However, rights groups say implementation, transparency in releases and broader reforms will determine its lasting impact on Venezuela’s pursuit of peace and democratic coexistence.

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CNN’s Rocío Muñoz-Ledo contributed to this report.