Over 200 Political Prisoners in Venezuela Launch Hunger Strike Over Scope of Amnesty Law

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - More than 200 political prisoners at Rodeo I prison in Venezuela launched a hunger strike on Sunday, demanding their release under a newly approved amnesty law that excludes several categories of detainees, according to an AFP report and witnesses at the facility.

The protest began Friday night at the prison located about 40 kilometers east of Caracas, AFP reported. On Sunday, inmates shouted slogans audible from outside the prison walls, including “Freedom!”, “release us all!” and “Rodeo I on strike,” an AFP journalist at the scene witnessed.

Relatives of the detainees said approximately 214 prisoners, both Venezuelan nationals and foreigners, were participating in the hunger strike. The protest was triggered by complaints that many inmates would not qualify for amnesty under the new legislation because it excludes cases involving the military and terrorism-related charges, which are among the most common accusations at Rodeo I.

“Approximately 214 people in total, including Venezuelans and foreigners, are on hunger strike,” Yalitza Garcia, mother-in-law of detainee Nahuel Agustin Gallo, told AFP. Gallo, an Argentine police officer, is accused of terrorism, a category excluded from the amnesty law.

Shakira Ibarreto, whose father, a policeman, was arrested in 2024, said the hunger strike was organized in response to the law’s limitations. “They decided Friday to go on hunger strike because of the scope of the amnesty law, which excludes many of them,” she told AFP.

The amnesty law was approved by Venezuela’s congress on Thursday as part of a series of reforms encouraged by the United States after former president Nicolas Maduro was ousted and captured on January 3, according to AFP. US commandos carried out an operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife, who were taken to the United States to face drug trafficking charges.

The new legislation was engineered by interim leader Delcy Rodriguez under pressure from Washington, AFP reported. The law provides amnesty for 11,000 political prisoners who, over nearly three decades, were paroled or placed under house arrest.

However, it excludes members of the security forces convicted of activities related to what the government categorized as terrorism. It also excludes cases involving the military, provisions that have drawn criticism from opposition figures who argue that some offenses previously used by authorities to target political opponents are not covered.

More than 1,500 political prisoners have already applied for amnesty under the bill, the head of the country’s legislature said Saturday, according to AFP. Hundreds of detainees had been released by Rodriguez’s government prior to the law’s formal approval.

On Sunday, a team from the International Committee of the Red Cross visited Rodeo I prison. Filippo Gatti, the organization’s health coordinator for Venezuela, told family members outside the facility that the visit marked a first step.

“This is the first time they have allowed us to approach that prison,” Gatti said, according to AFP. “It’s a first step, and I think we’re on the right track.”

Relatives said not all inmates at Rodeo I were participating in the hunger strike. Nevertheless, several detainees were released from the prison on Sunday. AFP reported that a handful of inmates exited the facility carrying release documents and were greeted with applause by family members.

“I’m out, I love you so much, my queen! I’m doing well,” Robin Colina, one of the freed prisoners, said into a mobile phone, according to AFP.

Armando Fusil, a 55-year-old police commissioner from the western state of Maracaibo who was also released Sunday, told AFP that numerous prisoners remained on hunger strike. “Right now there are quite a few people on hunger strike because they want to get out,” he said.

Fusil said he had been arrested in October 2024. “I was arrested for no reason,” he told AFP. He added that his relatives traveled nearly 40 hours each week to visit him at the prison.

He described solidarity among detainees during their incarceration. “We all help each other,” Fusil said. “It’s created a beautiful brotherhood.”

The non-governmental organization Foro Penal, which advocates for political prisoners in Venezuela, reported that 23 detainees were released on Sunday.

Maduro ruled Venezuela from March 2013 until January 2026. During his tenure, opposition figures and activists were silenced under his government, AFP reported. Following his capture, Maduro and his wife were transferred to the United States, where they are in custody awaiting trial. Maduro, 63, has pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges and has declared himself a prisoner of war.

The hunger strike at Rodeo I underscores ongoing tensions surrounding the implementation of the new amnesty law, particularly among detainees whose charges fall outside its scope. While some prisoners have secured release, others remain in custody and are seeking inclusion under the legislation.