Venezuela’s Acting President Announces Prisoner Amnesty, Orders Closure of Notorious Jail
Venezuela’s interim President, Delcy Rodriguez, has announced a sweeping amnesty bill that could pave the way for the release of hundreds of detainees, while also ordering the shutdown of the infamous El Helicoide prison in Caracas.
Rodriguez made the announcement on Friday, describing the move as part of efforts to heal the country following years of political turmoil. The decision marks one of her most significant reforms since the recent abduction of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by the United States military earlier this month.
“We have decided to push ahead with a general amnesty law that covers the entire period of political violence from 1999 to the present day,” Rodriguez said during a prerecorded televised address.
Speaking before an audience of judges, ministers, military officials and other senior government figures, she said the National Assembly would treat the amnesty bill as a matter of urgency.
“May this law serve to heal the wounds left by political confrontation fuelled by violence and extremism,” Rodriguez said. “May it help redirect justice in our country and restore coexistence among Venezuelans.”
The acting president also announced the closure of El Helicoide, a former secret service detention centre long associated with allegations of torture and other human rights abuses. She said the facility would be converted into a sports, social and cultural centre for surrounding communities.
Rodriguez made the declaration in the presence of officials who have previously been accused by former detainees and rights groups of overseeing abuses at El Helicoide and other detention facilities.
According to the Venezuelan prisoners’ rights organisation Foro Penal, at least 711 people are currently detained nationwide over their political activities, with 183 already sentenced.
Foro Penal’s president, Alfredo Romero, welcomed the proposed amnesty but stressed that it must be applied fairly.
“A general amnesty is welcome as long as it applies to all of civil society without discrimination, does not become a cloak of impunity, and contributes to dismantling the machinery of political persecution,” Romero said.
The group said about 302 detainees have been released since Rodriguez assumed office following Maduro’s abduction. It also shared footage showing the release of human rights activist Eduardo Torres on Friday night, after he had been held since May 2025.
Families of detainees and human rights advocates have repeatedly called for the dropping of charges against those widely regarded as political prisoners.
Government officials, who deny holding political prisoners and maintain that detainees were jailed for criminal offences, claim more than 600 people have been released. However, they have not provided a clear timeline and appear to include releases carried out in previous years.
