At least 16 prisoners released Sunday in Venezuela, three days after Amnesty Law took effect

Описание: (23 Feb 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Caracas, Venezuela - 22 February 2026
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Various of Juan Freitas, released, greeting family members and political prisoner activists
2. Juan holding a shirt that reads (Spanish): “Free all political prisoners”
3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Juan Freitas, prisoner released:
"Freedom is for everyone; not just those released from prison, but freedom. I was released under the Amnesty Law, a full freedom without restrictions. And just as I was released without restrictions and with full freedom, all those who remain must be released. And this struggle cannot falter or diminish as they release each of those who remain. Rather, we have the challenge of turning this struggle into a civic movement that can unite all of Venezuela in a single voice: freedom for all political prisoners."
4. Various of Roberto Vernet, released, greeting family members and political prisoner activists
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Roberto Vernet, prisoner released:
"I remember the words of our... of the acting president... when she announced the... the Amnesty Law, which may be small, tiny, whatever, but it is a beginning. And she also spoke of something important, not... not just of us, the political prisoners, those who are there for one reason or another, but that there are 84,000 people, 84,000 prisoners that if we multiply it by five, which could be the family, they are affected by this. We have to think of all of them, that an evaluation be made of the judicial part, of the judicial delays, of the... of the trials well or poorly done. Please, that is very important."
6. Various of Vernet embracing family members and political prisoner activists
7. Family members listening
8. Banner that reads (Spanish): “Let it be everyone”
STORYLINE:
Venezuela-based prisoners' rights group Foro Penal said on X Sunday that it had verified the release of 16 people since an amnesty bill for people in held for political reasons was signed into law this week.

It comes three days after the Amnesty Law took effect.

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez signed the amnesty measure into law on Thursday, signaling a major shift in policy following last month’s stunning U.S. military raid in the capital, Caracas, to capture then-President Nicolás Maduro.

It is expected to benefit opposition members, activists, human rights defenders, journalists and many others detained for months or even years.

Among those released are political leaders Juan Freites and Roberto Vernet. Both had been detained for over two years.

Freites urged for the cause to be transformed into a national civic movement, while Vernet emphasized the need to review the judicial system—denouncing procedural delays—which affects common inmates and their families.

But human rights organizations have reacted with distrust to the approval of the law, calling it insufficient because it leaves out, for example, imprisoned military personnel.

The new law also excludes those convicted of homicide, drug trafficking and serious human rights violations.

Days after Maduro’s capture, Rodríguez’s government offered to release a significant number of prisoners as a gesture to consolidate peace. Since then, a total of 464 people have been released but more than 600 remain detained, according to Foro Penal.

These releases did not grant full freedom but rather are a precautionary measure substituting imprisonment. Released detainees are banned from speaking to the press, leaving the country and participating in political activities.



AP video shot by Andry Rincon



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