Released Venezuelan activists and their relatives protest to demand approval of amnesty bill

Описание: (3 Feb 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Caracas, Venezuela - 3 February 2026
1. Activists and relatives of detainees chanting slogans at protest at Central University of Venezuela (UPSOUND) (Spanish) "What do we want? Freedom! What do we demand? Amnesty for our relatives!"
2. Banner reading "Amnesty now!"
3. Various of students, acivists and relatives of prisoners marching
4. Various of Venezuelan human rights activist Javier Tarazona, who was released from prison on Sunday, speaking to activists at protest
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Javier Tarazona, released prisoner, originally detained under terrorism, betraying the nation and hate speech charges:
"The reconstruction of the country and the reunion of the country: those things don't have to do only with the approval of a law, but by the derogation of all legal instruments that have existed to politically prosecute, annul, eliminate whoever thinks differently. So, if there is a new political moment, we are seeing things that we thought wouldn't happen. So we have to keep working on it, we have to regroup. Without a doubt we have to push for this not to happen ever again, that the victims receive reparations and that all Venezuelans can reunite. There are 8 million of Venezuelans abroad and that all political prisoners are free, so that not a single prisoner remains behind bars."
6. Various of students and activists chanting slogans
7. Nicmer Evans, activist who was also released from prison recently, speaking with people during protest
8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Nicmer Evans, prisoner after the government amnesty:
"Let's hope that there will be no repression, that we will be able to demonstrate freely, that expressions from imprisoned dissidents will begin to be systematically generated and that they will feel confident enough to make statements in the media, and that freedom of expression will begin to breathe a sigh of relief, of oxygen in these circumstances. I have no doubt that this is the visualization, not of a concession or a favor, but of an acquired right that we have been fighting for constantly and that, from 3 January onwards, we will once again begin to feel that it is possible to develop it as a right. We are in the process of trying, step by step."
9. Banner reading (Spanish): "Free political prisoners: at the entrance of university
10. Students chanting UPSOUND (Spanish) "Delcy answer, students don't hide"
11. Students chanting UPSOUND (Spanish) "People ask, what do I see? It's the students in the streets again!"
STORYLINE:
Opposition activists, students, and relatives of prisoners gathered on Tuesday at the Central University of Venezuela to protest, demanding freedom and calling for the approval of the amnesty bill the government announced last week.

In the aftermath of former president Nicolás Maduro's overthrow by the U.S., a number of prominent critics have started to emerge from hiding to test the limits of political speech after years of self-imposed silence driven by fear.

Activists and students say they are testing the waters of the meaning of “new political moment,” as acting president Delcy Rodriguez described.

Prisoners recently released from jail joined the protest, and among those was Javier Tarazona, a human rights activist who got out of 'Helicoide' intelligence prison on Sunday.

"If there is a new political moment, we are seeing things that we thought wouldn't happen. So we have to keep working on it, we have to regroup", said Tarazona to the Associated Press about the protest.










===========================================================


Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...