Venezuela releases prominent Machado opponents ahead of amnesty law
On Sunday, Venezuelan authorities took a significant political step by releasing two prominent opposition figures close to leader María Corina Machado: opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa and his legal advisor, Perkins Rocha. This move comes at a sensitive time, ahead of the expected passage of a historic "general amnesty" law on Tuesday, suggesting potential shifts in Venezuela's deeply troubled political landscape.
Background to the crisis and the presidential elections
The current releases cannot be separated from the tense political context that Venezuela has been experiencing since the presidential elections of July 2014. The country has been embroiled in a severe legitimacy crisis following the announcement of Nicolás Maduro's victory for a third term, a result rejected by the opposition and the international community, who maintain that opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia won by a significant margin. These events led to a wave of protests and security crackdowns targeting hundreds of activists and politicians, placing the issue of political prisoners at the forefront of international negotiations.
Details of the release of Guaniba and Rocha
Juan Pablo Guanipa, 61, was released after a harrowing year and a half, during which he spent 10 months in hiding and nearly nine months in actual detention in Caracas. In his first comments via the X platform, Guanipa emphasized that his freedom remains incomplete, saying, “We are free… There is much to be said about Venezuela’s present and future, always putting the truth first.” He pointed out that conditional release while prosecutions continue means continued persecution in another form.
Perkins Rocha, 63, Machado's legal advisor, was arrested on August 27, 2024, at the height of the security crackdown following the election. His wife, Maria Constanza Cipriani, confirmed his arrival home but expressed concern about the "strict precautionary measures" accompanying his release, which restrict his movement and activities.
International pressure and the anticipated amnesty law
Observers believe these releases come in response to intense international pressure, particularly from the United States, which has linked the easing of sanctions to Caracas's commitment to democracy and human rights. The amnesty law scheduled for debate on Tuesday is expected to be a pivotal moment that could pave the way for broader national dialogue, or it may simply be a political maneuver to ease external tensions.
From his exile in Spain, Edmundo González Urrutia welcomed the move but demanded it be comprehensive, calling for “the immediate release of all political prisoners.” Statistics from the NGO Foro Penal support these demands, indicating that approximately 400 people detained for political reasons have been released since January 8, including 18 released on Sunday alone, reflecting the scale of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
