Venezuela Protesters March Amid National Assembly Consideration of Amnesty Bill

Thousands of protesters gathered in Caracas to mark Venezuela’s National Youth Day, with many taking part in duelling demonstrations against the government led by interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The protests came as the National Assembly debated a bill that would grant amnesty to political prisoners detained under Maduro.

The bill, which has been postponed until further notice, aims to provide amnesty to those convicted of treason, terrorism, and spreading hate. However, critics have raised concerns over how the legislation will be implemented and who will be eligible for release.

Rodriguez had announced the amnesty legislation last month, stating that it was designed to “heal the wounds left by the political confrontation fueled by violence and extremism.” The bill covers charges from 1999 to the present, excluding those convicted of murder, drug trafficking, corruption, or human rights violations.

The National Assembly has been considering the bill since January, when the United States abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Rodriguez has overseen the release of hundreds of political prisoners since taking office, including Alex Neve, a member of the United Nations’ Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Venezuela.

Human rights groups have questioned the government’s efforts to free political prisoners, citing discrepancies in the number of released individuals. Foro Penal, a Venezuelan-based human rights group, has confirmed at least 431 people have been released, although this figure is lower than the government’s stated number.

The amnesty bill also aims to lift measures banning opposition leaders from running for office, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado. The Maduro government had faced accusations of using state violence and election rigging, which led to widespread protests and demonstrations in recent years.

Source: Al Jazeera