National Assembly special commission president Jorge Arreaza. Photo: Telesur.
On February 20, Venezuela’s National Assembly (AN) approved a Law of Amnesty for Democratic Coexistence, which has become a key instrument to overcome political differences and move toward reconciliation among Venezuelans.
Jorge Arreaza, president of the AN’s special commission, stated in remarks to the media that the regulation seeks to heal wounds through forgiveness and mutual listening. Since its enactment, the Amnesty Law has granted 7,727 full releases in Venezuela: 253 for individuals who were deprived of liberty and 7,474 to citizens under precautionary measures. A total of 12,557 applications have been received to date.
The legislation, promoted by acting president Delcy Rodríguez, establishes that those approved for amnesty will have any criminal record elimianted provided that the acts fall within the defined time periods.
However, Arreaza emphasized that the law strictly excludes anyone who has committed war crimes, human rights violations, homicide, drug trafficking, or treason (in the form of statements that encouraged or requested foreign invasion). He also warned that if a beneficiary of the amnesty commits a serious offense against Venezuela again, they will be immediately brought to justice.
The lawmaker highlighted that the legal text, composed of 16 articles, was the result of a consensus process that incorporated proposals from families of victims of political violence from 1999 to 2026, legal experts, political parties, and representatives of the judiciary. Arreaza described this step as a gesture of goodwill by the Legislative Branch, recognizing the leadership of acting president Rodríguez and the government in preserving peace.
The legislation covers 13 specific political events eligible for amnesty. These include events related to the April 11–12, 2002 coup d’état, as well as attacks on public and private facilities that occurred during that period.
A central aspect of the law is the social and public reintegration of beneficiaries. The regulation guarantees that those granted amnesty can fully resume their lives in society and in the public sphere, promoting democratic coexistence.
This law represents a significant legislative effort to address reconciliation and democratic coexistence in Venezuela by establishing a legal framework to resolve situations arising from past and present political conflicts.
(Telesur)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/CB/SL
Cameron Baillie is an award-winning journalist, editor, and researcher. He won and was shortlisted for awards across Britain and Ireland. He is Editor-in-Chief of New Sociological Perspectives graduate journal and Commissioning Editor at The Student Intifada newsletter. He spent the first half of 2025 living, working, and writing in Ecuador. He does news translation and proofreading work with The Orinoco Tribune.
