Venezuela's Government Prepares for Historic Amnesty by Releasing Dozens of Opponents

SadaNews - The Venezuelan government pre-empted the legislators' vote on a historic amnesty law for detained opponents, releasing several prominent opposition members yesterday, Sunday, including allies of Maria Corina Machado, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

The Venezuelan government released yesterday several leading opposition members, including close associates of opposition leader Machado, Juan Pablo Guanipa and Freddy Superlano, along with her legal advisor Perkins Rocha.

The "For Penal" organization, which is concerned with prisoner rights and is based in Venezuela, confirmed the release of 35 prisoners yesterday. It added that since January 8, nearly 400 people detained for political reasons have been released, noting that many of its members were among those freed.

Some of those released yesterday joined their families who were waiting outside the prisons for their loved ones' release, chanting: "We are not afraid! We are not afraid!" and walked a short distance.

Guanipa - Machado's ally and former governor - told reporters hours after his release, "I am convinced that our country has completely changed, and I am convinced that it is now up to all of us to focus on building a free and democratic state."

Pressures

The release of the detainees comes at a time when President Delcy Rodriguez's interim government is facing increasing pressure to release hundreds of people whose arrests months or years ago were linked to their political activities.

This follows a visit by representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to Venezuela.

From his exile in Spain, Edmundo Gonzalez Orotia - the opposition's presidential candidate for the 2024 elections - called for the immediate release of all political prisoners following the release of the opposition members.

Legislation

These releases come as legislators are preparing to vote tomorrow, Tuesday, on a historic amnesty law that includes the charges used to imprison opponents during nearly three decades of socialist rule.

The National Assembly (parliament), controlled by the ruling party, has begun discussing an amnesty bill that could lead to the release of hundreds of prisoners. The opposition and NGOs have expressed cautious optimism as well as provided suggestions and demands for more information regarding the proposal's content.

Last week, lawmakers offered their preliminary support for the amnesty project, which includes the types of offenses used to imprison opponents during 27 years of socialist rule.

It is noted that Rodriguez took the oath of office as interim president of Venezuela after President Nicolas Maduro was arrested by the U.S. military on January 3. Her government began releasing prisoners days later.

On January 8, her government announced it would release a large number of prisoners, a key demand of the opposition and human rights organizations with U.S. support, but families of the prisoners and human rights organizations criticized the authorities for the slow pace of releases.

Source: Agencies