Venezuela Has Received More Than 1,550 Requests Under Amnesty Law

Venezuela ‌has received more than 1,550 requests under its ‌new amnesty law, National ⁠Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on state-run television on Saturday.
Published: 2/21/2026, 11:19:16 PM EST
Venezuela Has Received More Than 1,550 Requests Under Amnesty Law
Venezuela's National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez holds the document of an amnesty law meant to grant immediate clemency to individuals jailed for participating in political protests, after its approval, in Caracas, Venezuela February 19, 2026. (Fausto Torrealba/Reuters)

BUENOS AIRES—Venezuela ‌has received more than 1,550 requests under its ‌new amnesty law, National ⁠Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on state-run television on Saturday.

Rodriguez said hundreds ​of prisoners are currently being released ⁠under the law, which was passed by the ruling party-controlled legislature on Thursday. Human rights organizations say the law falls short of offering ‌relief ⁠for hundreds of political prisoners in the country.

Interim President ‌Delcy Rodriguez, who took power last month after the ​U.S. ouster of President Nicolas Maduro, has ​bowed to Trump administration ​demands on oil sales and released hundreds of people ⁠classified by human rights groups as political prisoners. Venezuela has denied holding political prisoners and says ​those jailed have committed ⁠crimes.

Opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa, ​a close ally ​of ‌Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, had a house arrest order ‌against him lifted, his brother, lawmaker Tomas ⁠Guanipa, told Reuters late on Thursday.

By ‌Leila Miller