More than 200 “political” prisoners declared themselves on hunger strike on Sunday in Venezuela after the release of 80 others the day before as part of a vast amnesty law. “A total of 214, between Venezuelans and foreigners, are on hunger strike,” explained Yalitza García, mother-in-law of an Argentine gendarme accused of terrorism. “They decided to start a hunger strike on Friday, following the results of the amnesty law, which does not benefit the vast majority of them,” explained Shakira Ibarreto, daughter of a police officer arrested in 2024.
The movement began at Rodeo I prison, on the outskirts of Caracas. The families explain that the detainees are protesting against the scope of the amnesty law, which does not benefit many of the prisoners in this establishment. A commission from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) entered the prison to examine the detainees. She also gained access to other prisons, including the infamous Helicoide Prison.
“This is the first time that we have been given access to this prison,” noted Filippo Gatti, ICRC health coordinator for Venezuela. “This is a first step, and I believe we are on the right track.” Venezuelan justice has granted freedom to 379 political prisoners following the adoption of an amnesty law. Eighty of them were released on Saturday.
A law under pressure from the United States
Voted and promulgated on Thursday, this amnesty law was promised, under pressure from the United States, by interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The latter has initiated a normalization of relations with Washington, broken since 2019, since she took the reins of power after the capture of President Nicolas Maduro during an American military operation on January 3.
In addition to the releases already announced, the National Assembly on Friday installed a special commission responsible for analyzing the files of political prisoners excluded from the amnesty. In total, 1,557 detainees requested their release under the law, according to Jorge Rodriguez, the president of the National Assembly and brother of the interim president, at a press conference.
Several experts nevertheless question the scope of the amnesty law: hundreds of detainees, such as police officers and soldiers involved in activities classified as “terrorist”, could be excluded. The measure does not fully cover the period 1999-2026, that of the presidencies of Hugo Chavez (1999-2013) and his successor Nicolas Maduro.
The involvement of the Nobel Prize winner, Maria Machado
Many families of political detainees have been waiting for days for the potential release of their loved one. Fed up with the delay, ten women went on hunger strike. One of them lasted more than five days, until the law was adopted on Thursday. “Recovering. No response,” indicated a sign placed in front of a mattress where she was recuperating, in front of “Zone 7,” the national police prison in Caracas, where Saturday was visiting day.
“My husband is fine,” said a woman who preferred to remain anonymous. “We’re still waiting, let’s hope this isn’t a joke. » On Friday, the director of Foro Penal, Alfredo Romero, stressed that the amnesty was “not automatic”, criticizing the procedure to be followed in court to be able to benefit from it.
In addition, Venezuela’s amnesty law will grant full freedom to 11,000 political prisoners who spent almost thirty years in prison and were then released on parole, Jorge Rodríguez explained on Saturday. Opponent Juan Pablo Guanipa, released on February 8 after nine months of detention for “conspiracy” then arrested again a few hours later, announced on Friday that he was completely free, his house arrest no longer being in force.
“We will all fight so that what has just begun becomes a reality and that we have democracy, freedom for all and equality! », Launched this ally of the leader of the opposition and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, in front of her supporters gathered in Maracaibo, the country’s second city, demanding elections.
