Acting President Delcy Rodríguez Announces General Amnesty Law in Venezuela and Justice System Reform (+El Helicoide)

Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—On Friday, during the solemn opening session of the 2026 judicial year at the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) headquarters in Caracas, Venezuela, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced the decision to promote a General Amnesty Law. The law will cover the entire period of far-right political violence from 1999 to the present.

The measure, which will be presented to the National Assembly by the Commission for Judicial Revolution and the Program for Coexistence and Peace, follows precedents of two amnesty laws decreed by former President Hugo Chávez and one by President Nicolás Maduro.

During her address, Rodríguez indicated that the Venezuelan government maintains communication with President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores. “We have exchanges with them,” she noted.

Addressing the context of the amnesty law, Rodríguez added that “it is very difficult to talk about justice in a world with fewer and fewer rights every day.” She pointed out that the events in Venezuela in the early morning of January 3, 2026, serve as a primary example. “It is a violation of international law. The attack, the foreign military aggression, and the kidnapping of a president, a first lady and a member of parliament can only mean that there is less law in the world.”

“However, we already knew that when we witnessed such painful situations as the genocide in Palestine, when I heard Venezuelan girls and boys express their pain over the aggression of that early morning,” she added, paying tribute to those who died fighting on January 3, “in conditions of great inequality.”

She emphasized that those who fell were “both Venezuelans and Cubans, but I say citizens of the Patria Grande, who fought in the name of Our America and the Caribbean, for humanity, defending international law, Bolívar, Martí, and the dignity of humble peoples like those of Venezuela and Cuba.”

In announcing the law, she stated: “May it be a law that serves to repair the wounds left by political confrontation stemming from violence and extremism, that serves to strengthen justice in our country, and that serves to restore coexistence among Venezuelans.”

The acting president specified that those excluded from the amnesty will be individuals “prosecuted and convicted of homicide, drug trafficking, corruption, and serious human rights violations.”

Transformation of El Helicoide
Rodríguez announced that El Helicoide will cease operating as a detention center. “We have decided that the Helicoide facilities, which currently serve as a detention center, will be transformed into a social, sports, cultural, and commercial center for police families and the surrounding communities,” she added. The transformation of the building will be coordinated by the Commission for Democratic Coexistence and Peace, along with other ministries.

She stated that this measure is an opportunity to live in peace and tranquility in Venezuela. “Despite the differences that exist, we can coexist with respect, and above all, with respect for the law and justice in Venezuela, given the diversity and plurality that exists,” she added.

The acting president also asked the TSJ to pronounce itself on the recent US OFAC license 46. “I want to ask the TSJ Constitutional Chamber for a ruling on the general license issued yesterday by the US Department of the Treasury… In order to preserve Venezuela’s jurisdiction and to preserve Venezuela’s right to diverse international relations and economic cooperation with the whole world.”

Judicial revolution and national consultation
During the ceremony, Rodríguez called for a major national consultation on a new justice system, with the goal of making “justice the queen of republican virtues and ensuring peace and the future of Venezuela as an independent, free, sovereign, and peaceful nation.” She also emphasized that these decisions embody “the spirit of Chávez and Maduro.”

She presented revealing data on the incarcerated population in Venezuela to highlight the need for reform:

• 68.8% belong to socioeconomic strata 4 and 5 (the lowest-income groups), while only 1.14% are from stratum 1.
• 75% of those convicted admitted to the crimes—a decision often made due to procedural delays and the high costs of the criminal process to reduce waiting times.
• 89% are first-time offenders.
• 63.51% have only an elementary education.

Given this assessment, Rodríguez called for a “change in this reality” and greater social intervention in health, education, and support for the most vulnerable sectors. She emphasized the need for a justice system that prioritizes prevention, inclusion, and social justice.

Statements by Justice Caryslia Rodríguez
Before Delcy Rodríguez’s speech, the president of the TSJ, Justice Caryslia Rodríguez, stated that the judicial branch has formed a cohesive bloc to defend Venezuela’s sacred interests. She noted that the branch embraces Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace as the guiding principle of sovereignty and commits to providing absolute support for the construction of the new legal framework proposed by the acting president.

She also announced that the TSJ will provide unrestricted legal support to the state’s diplomatic efforts to achieve the immediate return of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

During her speech, the justice emphasized that the judiciary stands as an “unyielding bastion of peace.” She highlighted that, in times of trial for the national soul, justice constitutes the fundamental foundation of a free nation, and the loyalty of its officials is a non-negotiable commitment to the collective destiny.

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“We declare that the Venezuelan rule of law remains firm and that legality cannot be broken by acts of force,” she stated, emphasizing that the judiciary will not yield to pressure. She also highlighted the commitment to continue transforming the justice system toward an alternative model that promotes equal opportunities and direct support for the people.

The Supreme Court also reaffirmed its commitment to the country’s stability by expressing its full support for Delcy Rodríguez in her role as acting president. Justice Rodríguez reiterated the validity of the ruling that underpins Delcy Rodríguez’s appointment as acting president, assuring that the court guarantees institutional continuity and the legality of the leadership, who currently also serves as commander-in-chief of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB).

Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff

OT/JRE/SF