The Venezuelan Parliament postponed the adoption of the general amnesty law despite the authority’s pledges under American pressure, so that tension deepened between promises to release all political prisoners and the protests of their families, and the requirements of the Public Prosecutor and linking the fate of the law to the fate of Nicolas Maduro, who is detained in the United States. The proposal for the general amnesty law came from acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who took office after Maduro's arrest.

Published on: 02/13/2026 - 03:46 Last updated: 02/13/2026 - 17:45

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The Venezuelan parliament postponed the adoption of a general amnesty law due to a lack of consensus, despite the authorities’ pledge to approve it under pressure from the United States, amid expectations that it would lead to the mass release of political prisoners.

Jorge Arreaza, head of the committee charged with drafting the law, explained after a unanimous vote on the postponement that “preserving the necessary climate of reconciliation and consensus” necessitated an agreement to postpone discussion of the draft law “to avoid engaging in unnecessary discussions, and to enable Parliament to approve it during its next session.”

The postponement decision led to six relatives of prisoners chaining themselves near the entrance to the Zona 7 prison in Caracas.

The morning hours witnessed the participation of thousands of people in the first major opposition demonstration since the fall of Nicolas Maduro, who was arrested by American forces on January 3, inside the campus of the Central University of Venezuela in Caracas.

The general amnesty law proposal emerged from Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who assumed her duties following Maduro's arrest.

'Free and fair' elections

In addition, acting President Delcy Rodriguez pledged during an interview with the American network NBC, which was broadcast on Thursday, to organize free elections in the country.

In response to a question about whether she would commit to holding “free and fair” elections, Rodriguez, who took power from Nicolas Maduro, who was arrested by the United States early last January in a military operation in Caracas, replied, “Yes, absolutely.”

Read also: Venezuela opens the oil sector to private companies under American pressure

Under pressure from Washington, Rodriguez began implementing amendments that included opening the Venezuelan oil sector to private investments, in addition to approving measures that allowed the conditional release of more than 400 political prisoners.

In an interview with the American network NBC broadcast on Thursday, Rodriguez pledged to organize free elections in the country, answering “yes, absolutely” in response to a question about her commitment to holding “free and fair” elections.

She explained through a translator that “organizing free and fair elections in Venezuela means a free state in which justice prevails,” noting at the same time that this also assumes “a country without sanctions, not subject to international intimidation or harassment from the foreign press.”

"We deserve peace"

Last week, the Venezuelan Parliament passed in its first reading a general amnesty bill, opening the door to the release of all political prisoners.

It was expected that a second session would be held to finally adopt the text on Tuesday, but the date was postponed in the context of the public consultation process to which draft laws are subjected in Venezuela, in which legal experts, opposition leaders, and family members of political prisoners participated.

The session also witnessed the presence of Attorney General Tariq William Saab, along with a number of judicial authority officials.

Saab considered that "the country deserves peace, and for everything to be discussed through dialogue."

In his opinion, the amnesty law should be accompanied by a corresponding step by the United States, which would be the release of ousted President Maduro and his wife, who are detained in New York awaiting trial in cases related to drug trafficking.

Rodriguez also issued a decision to close the notorious “Helicoid” prison, which the opposition and human rights organizations have described as a torture center.

Parliament Speaker Jorge Rodriguez, the acting president's brother, confirmed last week that the adoption of the amnesty law would translate into the release of all political prisoners.

Addressing the families of political prisoners in Caracas, he added, "Approval of the law will mean their release on the same day."

"We are all afraid"

While discussions about the amnesty law continued, the authorities announced the release of opposition leader Juan Pablo Guaniba from prison, before he was re-arrested less than 12 hours later and placed under house arrest.

The government accused him of violating the terms of his parole when he called for elections during a visit to Helicoide Prison and participated in a demonstration with relatives of political prisoners.

Guanipa is a close ally of Maria Corina Machado, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning opposition leader who remained in hiding for more than a year before leaving Venezuela for Oslo to receive the award.

The opposition's son indicated, in statements to reporters in front of the family home in the city of Maracaibo in the northwest of the country, that "everyone is afraid, but the struggle must continue so that we can speak and live in peace."

The controversy over the amnesty bill coincided with a two-day visit by US Oil Secretary Chris Wright to Venezuela, where on Thursday he toured the oil fields accompanied by the acting president.

Wright said Wednesday that bilateral relations have reached a "turning point," stressing that "the blockade imposed on Venezuelan oil has effectively ended."

Rodriguez told public television on Thursday that she had completed a “very intense work program” with Wright, explaining that she felt “very proud” because she was able to “show the truth about Venezuela, a Venezuela that has not surrendered despite the criminal siege imposed on our country.”

For her part, Laura Dugo, head of the US diplomatic mission to Venezuela, wrote on the “X” platform that “work is underway to create conditions that advance the economic transformation in the country for the benefit of Venezuelans and Americans.”

France 24/AFP

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