Political Prisoners Begin Hunger Strike Over Amnesty Law Exclusion In Venezuela

More than 200 political prisoners at Rodeo I prison in Guatire, Venezuela, have launched a hunger strike to protest their exclusion from a newly approved amnesty law, detainees’ relatives and news agencies report.

The strike, which began on Friday night, is being led by inmates who feared they will not benefit from the scope of the law approved by Venezuela’s National Assembly on Thursday. The legislation, part of broader reforms encouraged by the United States after the ousting and capture of former president Nicolás Maduro on January 3, aimed to free certain political prisoners — but excluded cases involving the military and terrorism-related charges, which are common at Rodeo I.

Relatives said approximately 214 detainees, including Venezuelans and foreign nationals, were participating in the strike. Many are protesting the fact that their cases — especially those involving military personnel or accusations of terrorism — fell outside the amnesty’s provisions. Among those affected is Nahuel Agustin Gallo, an Argentine police officer, whose family said he was accused of terrorism and thus excluded from the law’s protections.

On Sunday, representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited the prison — the first time access had been granted — with the ICRC’s health coordinator in Venezuela calling it “a first step.” However, not all prisoners at the facility were participating in the hunger strike, relatives told reporters.

Some inmates have been released as the amnesty process continued: small groups walked free from the prison on Sunday with official release papers, greeted by applause from waiting families. Non-governmental groups such as Foro Penal reported 23 verified releases on the same day.

The limited reach of the amnesty law has drawn criticism from rights groups and opposition figures who said it failed to cover many detainees arrested for political reasons, even as thousands have applied for its protection and many more await processing.