Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has announced a proposed general amnesty law covering political violence from 1999 to the present. Speaking at the Venezuelan supreme court, she said the measure would 'heal the wounds left by political confrontation' and 'put justice back on track'.
Rodríguez also revealed plans to close the notorious El Helicoide prison in Caracas, where rights groups say political prisoners were tortured under Nicolás Maduro. The building, originally a shopping mall, will be converted into a 'sports, cultural and commercial centre' for police families and local communities.
The proposal follows the US military operation that ousted Maduro, after which the government agreed on 8 January to free political prisoners. However, families and rights groups have criticised the slow pace, with Foro Penal counting fewer than 300 releases. Betsy Orellana, 63, whose son is held at El Helicoide, said she was overjoyed: 'I haven't heard from my son in six months, so this is a huge joy.'
Opposition figures have responded with caution. María Corina Machado said the amnesty was not voluntary but 'a response to pressure from the United States government'. Tomás Guanipa, whose two brothers are imprisoned, said he hoped it would end 'an era of repression'. Meanwhile, US authorities announced that all Americans known to be held in Venezuela have been released, hours after Peruvian-American Arturo Gallino Rullier was freed.
The US has lifted its ban on flights to Venezuela and is preparing to reopen its embassy in Caracas, with Laura Dogu named as charge d'affaires. These steps follow Venezuela's recent opening of its oil sector to private investment, a key US demand.
