Venezuela to release 300 prisoners under amnesty law as political reforms deepen

TBM Report

In a significant stride toward domestic reconciliation, Venezuela has announced the structured release of 300 detainees this week under the statutory framework of its recently enacted Amnesty Law. The proclamation was formally delivered on Tuesday (May 19, 2026) by Jorge Rodríguez, the President of the National Assembly, during a state briefing detailing the administration’s ongoing human rights adjustments.

According to Rodríguez, the judicial evacuations will be executed in a phased manner between Monday and Friday. Prioritizing humanitarian demographics, the release roster heavily features minors, elderly detainees over the age of 70, and chronic or terminally ill inmates. Furthermore, the amnesty extends to three former police officers who have remained incarcerated under high-security protocols since 2003.

The Amnesty Law was legislated in February as a cornerstone of the comprehensive political and judicial overhauls initiated by interim President Delcy Rodríguez upon assuming executive office. The legislative intent of the statute is explicitly designed to dismantle prolonged detentions and expedite legal channels for individuals apprehended under politically motivated circumstances during previous periods of civic unrest.

Despite the state’s massive release initiative, international human rights networks remain cautiously critical. Data monitored by the local legal aid group ‘Foro Penal’ underscores that hundreds of political prisoners are still confined across the state’s correctional grid, noting that numerous judicial appeals continue to face administrative stagnation or outright rejections. Concurrently, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issued joint assessments stating that while thousands have benefited since February, a complete democratic transition necessitates the absolute and unconditional dissolution of all politically contingent indictments.