CARACAS, Feb 21, 2026 (AFP) - Venezuelan authorities have granted amnesty to 379 political prisoners, a lawmaker said Friday, after a new law was enacted by interim authorities following the US toppling of former leader Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela's National Assembly unanimously adopted the law a day before, providing hope that hundreds of political prisoners behind bars may soon be released. National Assembly deputy Jorge Arreaza, the lawmaker overseeing the amnesty process, said in a televised interview on Friday that the 379 prisoners "must be released, granted amnesty, between tonight and tomorrow morning." - A long wait -Many relatives of prisoners across Venezuela have waited outside jails for weeks for the potential release of their loved ones. He called for all other political prisoners to be freed and exiles to be allowed to return.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha February 21, 2026 06:59 UTC