Rights groups critical as Venezuela prisoner release scheme 'coming to an end'

More than 500 political prisoners are thought to still be in jail, despite the releases since the amnesty law was brought in.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez announced the end of the amnesty law's application, stating it benefited 8,616 individuals, including over 600 political prisoners. However, human rights organizations report that between 473 and 672 individuals remain incarcerated, including 187 military personnel explicitly excluded from the amnesty. The law did not cover exiled individuals or those who promoted foreign military interventions, notably opposition figures like María Corina Machado.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez declared the end of the Amnesty Law for Democratic Coexistence, implemented just two months prior. Rodríguez stated that for cases not covered by the amnesty, "other methods" would be used. Human rights organizations criticized the decision, expressing concerns about legal security and human rights protection in the country.