Venezuela’s National Assembly approves amnesty bill in first reading amid NGO warnings

Radio Martí reported on Feb. 6 that Venezuela’s National Assembly began debate on a government‑backed amnesty bill and approved the measure in first reading by acclamation.

Correspondents in Caracas said several human‑rights organizations — cited by name on the broadcast as Provea, Foro Penal and Amnesty International — criticized the process because the full text had not been published. Those groups said the draft was shared only minutes before debate began and warned that without explicit safeguards the law could serve as a mechanism of impunity.

The broadcast summarized known exclusions that were discussed in the first debate, noting the text reportedly excludes "violaciones graves a derechos humanos, crímenes de lesa humanidad, crímenes de guerra, homicidio intencional, corrupción y narcotráfico," and that critics fear some politically prosecuted cases had been reclassified under other charges and could be left out of protections.

An excerpt from the Assembly session aired on the program invoked Article 104 of the Assembly’s internal rules to carry out the first‑reading process and recorded the approval by acclamation. The show also quoted remarks from Jorge Rodríguez, identified as speaker in the session, who urged reconciliation and forgiveness during the parliamentary exchange.

What happens next: correspondents said the bill carries urgency and could be taken to final approval within days; NGOs and victims’ relatives called for publication of the full text and mechanisms to ensure investigations into serious crimes are not obstructed.