The president of the Venezuelan parliament announced the release of 17 political prisoners as part of discussions to pass a general amnesty law, Agence France-Presse reported.
"Within the framework of the amnesty law, 17 people detained in (the cells known as) Zone 7 are currently being released," Jorge Rodriguez, president of the National Assembly, wrote on social media. He is the brother of President Delcy Rodriguez, who has held office since Nicolas Maduro was captured by US troops on January 3.
Relatives of the detainees, who communicated via WhatsApp, said they had not noticed any immediate release from Zone 7, which designates the cells of the national police. Families of detainees have been camped out in front of police headquarters since Delcy Rodriguez first announced the releases on January 8.
Under pressure from Washington, the president proposed a sweeping amnesty law on January 30. A week ago, during a visit to Zone 7, she promised the families of political prisoners that their loved ones would be released immediately after the law was passed. However, its adoption by lawmakers has been delayed due to disagreements over its scope and the role of the judiciary in its implementation. It is expected to be voted on next week.
According to the NGO "Foro Penal", 431 political prisoners have been released on parole, while 644 are still behind bars.