Venezuela's parliament unanimously approved an amnesty law on Thursday that could free political prisoners, almost two months after President Nicolas Maduro was captured by US forces.
“The law on democratic coexistence has been approved. It has been forwarded to acting president Delcy Rodriguez for announcement,” said National Assembly President, Jorge Rodriguez, before parliament.
Acting president Delcy Rodriguez signed the legislation after it was handed to her by Jorge Rodrigez, her brother.
The passage of the law led to the end of a hunger strike by relatives of political prisoners.
Ten women have participated in a hunger strike outside the Zona 7 police facility in the capital Caracas last Saturday, setting up camps outside the prison and demanding the release of their relatives, according to AFP.
Because they experienced health problems, nine of them stopped the protest on Wednesday evening. Only one woman continued until Thursday, ending “136 hours,” or more than five days, of strike.
But the amnesty law excludes those who have been prosecuted or convicted of promoting military action against the country – which could include opposition leaders like Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, who has been accused by the ruling party of calling for international intervention like the one that ousted Maduro.
Article 9 of the bill lists those excluded from amnesty as “persons who are being prosecuted or may be convicted for promoting, instigating, soliciting, invoking, favoring, facilitating, financing or participating in armed actions or the use of force against the people, sovereignty, and territorial integrity” of Venezuela “by foreign states, corporations or individuals.”
