Rights groups critical as Venezuela prisoner release scheme 'coming to an end'
Summary
Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez said a program to free political prisoners is ending after about nine weeks. Rights groups criticized this decision, saying many political prisoners remain jailed and only new laws or votes can stop the prisoner releases.Key Facts
- Nearly 500 political prisoners have been released under an amnesty law introduced by Venezuela’s National Assembly.
- Many more political prisoners are still believed to be in jail.
- Delcy Rodríguez said over 8,600 people were freed under the law and announced the program would end.
- Rights groups say Rodríguez does not have the power to stop the prisoner releases and called her move illegal.
- Rodríguez is a former vice-president under Nicolás Maduro but is supported by US President Donald Trump.
- The National Assembly president, Jorge Rodríguez (Delcy’s brother), said 1,557 political prisoners applied for amnesty, with the law aiming to cover 11,000 people.
- US sanctions on Delcy Rodríguez were lifted recently, recognizing efforts toward stability and political reconciliation.
- Critics say the prisoner release program has had limited impact and accuse the government of using it to appear more open while suppressing dissent.
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