Venezuela’s parliament has granted initial approval to a significant amnesty bill, covering the charges historically used to imprison dissidents under the ousted government of Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez.
However, the legislation explicitly excludes serious human rights violations from the pardon.
Amnesty Law for Democratic Coexistence aims to foster a new chapter following nearly three decades of socialist governance marked by state repression. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after US forces captured Maduro in Caracas last month and extradited him to New York, championed the bill.
The copy of law, seen by AFP, absolves individuals charged with “treason,” “terrorism,” and spreading “hate” – accusations routinely levelled against government critics during the “Chavista” era.
President Rodríguez hailed the first-reading approval as “a very important step” towards “peace and national reconciliation.”
The bill also reinstates the right to hold office for several opposition figures, including Nobel Peace laureate María Corina Machado. Debates in the National Assembly grew emotionally charged, with both government and opposition lawmakers urging national unity.
Jorge Rodríguez, the parliamentary chief and brother of the acting president – a former Maduro confidant – publicly apologised for crimes committed since Chávez took power in 1999. “We ask for forgiveness and we too must forgive,” he stated, displaying a photograph of Chávez holding a crucifix.
Opposition MP Tomás Guanipa, whose brothers remain detained, said the bill could open a “new, historic chapter” where Venezuelans no longer fear imprisonment for expressing their views.
Nicolás Maduro Guerra, the ousted leader’s son and a congressman, echoed calls for unity, stating, “Venezuela cannot endure any more acts of revenge.” Lawmakers will conduct the final reading on Tuesday.
The amnesty bill encompasses events such as the 2002 coup attempt against Chávez, protest cycles from 2004 to 2024, and critical social media posts. Crucially, it does not cover “serious violations of human rights, crimes against humanity, war crimes, intentional homicide, corruption, and drug trafficking,” which are constitutionally unpardonable. It does, however, pardon unspecified “offenses” by judges, prosecutors, and other officials.
The amnesty announcement last week sparked widespread celebration, raising hopes for the prompt release of hundreds of political prisoners still detained a month after Maduro’s removal.
Alfredo Romero, director of the leading rights group Foro Penal, welcomed the draft as a crucial step towards healing a fractured nation. “Amnesty is the framework that will ensure…that the past does not serve to halt or derail transition processes,” he told AFP.
While some citizens demand justice for Maduro’s inner circle, Romero cautioned that reconciliation “cannot be a process of persecution against those who previously held power.”
The parliamentary debate coincided with fresh talks between the government and a faction of the opposition that has distanced itself from Machado’s majority wing.
The opposition seeks new elections to replace the disputed July 2024 poll, which Maduro claimed to have won without published official results – a vote widely considered illegitimate internationally.
Following Maduro’s extradition, his allies retained power under US-backed interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, who has prioritised stability. Her administration has since freed hundreds of political detainees and initiated steps to restore diplomatic relations with Washington, severed in 2019.
