The Venezuelan legislature approved on Thursday, the 19th, an amnesty bill that could lead to the release of politicians, activists, lawyers and many others, effectively recognizing that the government had held hundreds of people in prison for political motives.
The approval marks a drastic shift for the South American nation, whose authorities denied for decades the existence of political prisoners. It is the latest policy reversal following the U.S. military incursion last month into the country’s capital, Caracas, to capture the then-president Nicolás Maduro.
The interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, who proposed the bill at the end of January, is expected to sign the measure, which outlines the eligibility and exclusions for people to receive amnesty.
Take advantage of the stock market rally!
“It’s not perfect, but it’s a big step forward,” said opposition legislator Nora Bracho during the debate. “This will ease the suffering of many Venezuelans.”
The measure is expected to benefit members of the opposition, activists, human rights defenders, journalists and many others who have been targeted by the ruling party in the last 27 years.
*Content translated with the help of Artificial Intelligence, reviewed and edited by the Broadcast Desk*
</div>
James Whitmore