The adoption of the general amnesty law was postponed on Thursday to a later date because Venezuelan deputies failed to reach an agreement. For her part, interim President Delcy Rodriguez promised “free and fair elections.”

Published on: 02/13/2026 - 04:14 Modified on: 02/13/2026 - 16:56

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The National Assembly of Venezuela has postponed, due to lack of consensus, the adoption of the general amnesty law intended to lead to mass releases of political prisoners and promised, under pressure from Washington, by interim president Delcy Rodriguez.

Adoption was postponed "in order to preserve the necessary climate of conciliation and consensus", declared Thursday February 12, Jorge Arreaza, president of the commission in charge of drafting the law, after the unanimous vote for the postponement. She assured that this law would appear on the agenda “of the next session of the National Assembly”.

This decision led half a dozen relatives of political detainees to chain themselves near the entrance to the Zona 7 prison in Caracas, AFP journalists noted.

Read alsoVenezuela: political prisoners released from prison, but “not free” nonetheless

Thousands of people also participated in the morning in the first major opposition demonstration since the fall of Nicolas Maduro, captured by the American army on January 3. “Amnesty now”, we could read on a banner displayed at the entrance to the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) in Caracas, the largest in the country and the place of criticism of Chavismo, the socialist-inspired doctrine founded by the late president Hugo Chavez (1999-2013).

“VENEZUELA WILL BE FREE! Long live our students!”, rejoiced the leader of the opposition and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Maria Corina Machado, on X.

Delcy Rodriguez promises “free and fair elections”

In an interview with NBC broadcast on Thursday but recorded on Wednesday, the interim president, responding to a question about holding elections, replied: "Absolutely, in accordance with the Constitution. Free and fair elections. This also implies a country free of sanctions. This is justice for Venezuela and justice for the Venezuelan people."

The amnesty law was awaited by many citizens. It was approved at first reading on February 5 and was to be voted on on Thursday. Discussions in the National Assembly, however, stumbled over article 7 which provides, as it stands, that amnestied people must “be in compliance”.

“This article (says) quite simply that the person who will take advantage of the amnesty law, by complying, is guilty,” protested MP Luis Florido, adding that political detainees were “victims (...) persecuted by the justice system”. “He who has not committed any crime does not have to ask for amnesty,” also underlined Iris Varela, a former minister reputed to belong to the radical wing of Chavismo.

Opposition lawmaker Nora Bracho argued that "Venezuela needs stability for there to be a democratic transition. We want peace with memory. The answer cannot simply be to turn the page." “We are not just voting for a law, we are voting for a historic opportunity for the country,” she insisted before the postponement.

Amnesty against the release of Nicolas Maduro

Attorney General Tarek William Saab, who participated in the consultation on the law, said Wednesday in an interview with AFP that "everything must be debated through dialogue". The amnesty, he estimated, must lead to a gesture from the United States: the release of deposed President Maduro and his wife, detained in New York.

Also read Exclusive: “International law is dead” with the capture of Maduro, says Tarek William Saab

The debate on the amnesty law coincided with a two-day trip by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who visited oil fields on Thursday with the interim president. On Wednesday, he spoke of a "turning point" in bilateral relations, stressing that "the quarantine of (Venezuelan) oil is essentially over."

“We have just finished a very intense program” with Chris Wright and “I must admit that I felt great pride (...) to be able to show the truth of Venezuela, a Venezuela which, despite the criminal blockade against our country, has not surrendered,” Delcy Rodriguez said Thursday on public television.

The government also organized a demonstration on Thursday which attracted thousands of participants on Youth Day.

With AFP

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