CARACAS – Thousands of Venezuelans charged or imprisoned for resisting socialist rule have been granted amnesty under a landmark law adopted as part of the post-Nicolas Maduro transition, the national legislature said Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time).
Jorge Arreaza, the head of the legislative commission overseeing the application of the amnesty, said 179 prisoners had walked free from prison since it was enacted on Thursday.
He said that 3,050 others who were out on parole had also been cleared of all charges.
“The pace is extraordinary!” he enthused, adding that justice needed to be served “for there to be peace” in the Caribbean nation.
The amnesty is one of the most significant reforms championed by Maduro’s former deputy Delcy Rodriguez, who succeeded him after his January 3 capture by US forces.
It has been hailed as signaling an end to nearly three decades of state repression under the socialist Maduro and his firebrand predecessor Hugo Chavez.
While Rodriguez’s government has released hundreds of political prisoners in the past six weeks, hundreds more remain behind bars.
On Monday, a group of 34 prisoners walked free from Rodeo 1 prison on the outskirts of Caracas to a rapturous welcome from their families.
Among them was a group of army cadets accused of plotting a coup.
Arreaza said that Venezuela’s courts had already received 4,293 amnesty applications.
The amnesty is not automatic, however.
Those seeking to benefit from it must appear in court for a review of their case and a ruling on the dismissal of charges or the annulment of their sentences
Lawyers for some current and former political prisoners reported rejections and delays when they went to court to submit their applications.
