National Assembly unanimously approved the Amnesty for Democratic Coexistence Act

Published at: 19/02/2026 08:15 PM

During the regular session of the National Assembly (AN), held this Thursday, February 19, at the Federal Legislative Palace, the Amnesty Law for Democratic Coexistence was unanimously approved in the second discussion, whose objective is to strengthen the mechanisms of democratic coexistence in Venezuela.

The purpose of the legal instrument is to grant general and full amnesty to persons who committed certain crimes or misdemeanors within the framework of the facts and the time period indicated by law, in order to promote social peace.

Once sanctioned, the president of the AN, deputy Jorge Rodríguez, congratulated the willingness of the deputies to promote political coexistence and stressed that this process is essential to move towards a new time of peace and union in the Republic.

He stressed that “hopefully that attitude and that disposition that we have demonstrated will be a sign of a new political era that the country must go through”.

Rodríguez lamented that “regrettable and catastrophic events had to happen for all of us to seek to promote brotherhood, union and peace in the Republic. However, we also learn from pain, and from these difficulties we are starting a necessary process.”

For his part, in his speech, the president of the Special Commission of the Amnesty Bill for Democratic Coexistence, Deputy Jorge Arreaza, assured that each of the articles of the legal instrument was widely discussed, where there was great consensus.

During the debate, on several occasions, there were strong differences and criteria that were overcome by the deputies and the deputies, and an agreement was reached to approve this law, which includes 16 articles.

In this regard, Article 7 was approved, by which the previous session was postponed, which establishes that people who are outside the national territory and may be subject to an amnesty, will have the option of being represented before the competent court with a judicial representative.

The Plenary also emphasized the discussion of Article 11, which contemplates that the competent court, at the request of a party, will verify the cases of amnesty in each case and will decree the dismissal of all ongoing proceedings or the revision of the final judgment for its annulment, by means of a replacement judgment within a period not exceeding 15 continuous days.

It will also issue all necessary measures or measures to ensure compliance with the said law, including the cessation of measures of personal coercion and alternative measures to deprivation of liberty and any other measure that may have been agreed upon.

The president of the AN, Jorge Rodríguez, indicated that the Law was referred to the president in charge of the Republic, Delcy Rodríguez, for the purpose of its enactment, in accordance with the provisions and enshrined in article 213 of the National Constitution.