Families continue hunger strike to press for releases in venezuela amid delayed amnesty law
Summary
Relatives of people held as political prisoners in Caracas have entered a multi-day hunger strike to press authorities for accelerated releases, activists and participants say. The protest, staged outside the National Police detention facility known as Zona 7, follows the postponement of a proposed amnesty law and a limited schedule of excarcerations announced by the interim government in January.
Hunger strike and camp conditions
A group of about ten women began the hunger strike on 14 February at the entrance to the Zona 7 detention complex, where families have camped for more than a month awaiting the release of relatives. Protesters say they are sleeping in tents and on lined mattresses under improvised canopies to shield themselves from the sun, and report growing physical weakness.
One participant, identified as Evelin Quiaro, 46, described fatigue, dizziness and increasing difficulty sleeping as the days without food accumulate. Medical personnel attending the group say one woman had to interrupt her fast because of blood pressure problems. Activists also report that a physician who has offered assistance has been unable to secure access to detained relatives to conduct medical checks inside the facility.
Legislative delay and government response
Relatives have linked the hunger strike to the repeated postponement of final approval for an amnesty law that they say would apply to people detained across 27 years of chavista rule. The legislative session to consider the measure was scheduled for 19 February, when lawmakers were expected to hold a final debate. Families say the postponements have contributed to frustration and a decision to escalate their protest tactics.
The interim government, led by Delcy Rodríguez, announced on 8 January a process of selective releases. Officials have characterized those measures as part of a broader effort to address the status of detainees, while critics say releases have proceeded slowly and unevenly.
Releases, detainee counts and next steps
During the night of 14 February, 17 detainees were released from the Zona 7 cells, accounts from relatives. Protesters say roughly 60 other detainees remained in the facility, including some held on charges such as terrorism and related offenses. Human rights organizations monitoring the situation report broader figures: Foro Penal, an NGO that documents political detentions, says more than 600 people remain detained as political prisoners nationwide, and that 444 have obtained conditional freedom since 8 January.
Family members and advocates say they will continue to press for broader measures, including the timely passage of the amnesty law and fuller implementation of any release mechanisms. The coming legislative session and continued pressure from relatives and rights groups are likely to shape the next phase of negotiations between the interim authorities and domestic and international interlocutors.
Context and international dimensions
The interim government announced early-January release measures amid reported international pressure. The political situation has been marked by recent upheaval, and critics and supporters of different sides continue to dispute responsibility for events that unfolded in early January. Families staging the hunger strike are calling for predictable, transparent procedures that would allow detained relatives to be freed or to receive consistent legal process.
For now, the hunger strike in Caracas underscores the human toll of protracted legal and political uncertainty: relatives say they are exhausted by extended encampments and uncertainty over whether and when detained family members will be freed. The legislative calendar and any decisions taken in the upcoming session are expected to determine whether the protest yields substantive releases or prompts further escalation by relatives and supporters.
