Venezuela's lawmakers postpone final debate on amnesty bill to address
sticking points
[February 13, 2026]
By REGINA GARCIA CANO
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s ruling-party-controlled parliament
on Thursday debated a measure that could free hundreds of opposition
members, activists and human rights defenders who have been detained for
months or years for political reasons.
The debate in itself was a stark turn for Venezuela, where authorities
have for decades denied the country has any political prisoners.
Although lawmakers approved portions of the measure, they ultimately
voted to suspend the session to resolve some sticking points, including
whether people who left the country to avoid detention can be granted
amnesty.
The debate is expected to resume next week.
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez proposed the bill weeks
after the U.S. military captured then-President Nicolás Maduro in a
stunning raid Jan. 3 in the country’s capital, Caracas.
The bill's latest draft defines its purpose as "granting a general and
full amnesty for crimes or offenses committed” during specific periods
since 1999 that were marked by politically-driven conflicts in
Venezuela, including the “acts of politically motivated violence” in the
context of the 2024 presidential election.
Ruling party loyalists declared Maduro the winner of that election
despite ample credible evidence to the contrary. That led to protests
and the arrest of more than 2,000 people.
General amnesty has long been a central demand of Venezuela's opposition
and human rights organizations, but they have viewed the proposal with
cautious optimism and raised several concerns about how it will be
implemented and who will be eligible for release.
Venezuela-based prisoners’ rights group Foro Penal estimates more than
600 people are in custody for political reasons.
In the days after Maduro's capture, Rodríguez's government announced it
would release a significant number of prisoners. But relatives and human
rights watchdogs have criticized the slow pace of releases. Foro Penal
has tallied 431.
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Lawmakers vote on an amnesty bill at the National Assembly in
Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Cristian
Hernandez)
Families hoping for the release of their loves ones have spent days
outside detention facilities. On Sunday, at least 30 people were
freed, including several people affiliated with the political
movement of Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado.
Opposition leader and Machado ally Juan Pablo Guanipa was among
those released. But he was rearrested less than 12 hours later,
accused of violating the conditions of his release. Authorities
placed him on house arrest and never explained his alleged
violation. The only two restrictions listed in his release order
were monthly check-ins with a court and no travel outside Venezuela.
On Thursday, roughly 2,000 people marched on the campus of the
Central University of Venezuela in Caracas to demand the release of
all prisoners detained for political reasons.
In announcing the amnesty bill last month, Rodríguez told a
gathering of justices, magistrates, ministers, military brass and
other government leaders she hoped the law could help “heal the
wounds left by the political confrontation fueled by violence and
extremism.”
“May it serve to redirect justice in our country, and may it serve
to redirect coexistence among Venezuelans," she said at the time,
adding that people convicted of murder, drug trafficking, corruption
or human rights violations will not qualify for release.
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