Families of political prisoners in Venezuela voiced optimism on Saturday (January 31) after interim president Delcy Rodriguez introduced a proposed "amnesty law" and announced plans to repurpose the Helicoide detention center into a sports and social services facility.

The proposed law could affect hundreds of detainees who remain behind bars in the South American country, as well as former prisoners who have already been conditionally released. The new law will cover cases running from 1999 until today, but will exclude those who may have participated in killings, serious abuses of human rights and drug trafficking, Rodriguez said.

Outside the Zone 7 prison in Caracas, relatives of prisoners expressed hope that the law would lead to the release of loved ones. Families emphasized their belief in the possibility of reunification, highlighting the enduring solidarity within their community of relatives.

Earlier this month, the government began releasing detainees as part of a broader effort at reconciliation. Rights group Foro Penal, which has counted 711 political prisoners still in detention, confirmed that 303 individuals have been released since January 8. Government officials - who deny holding political prisoners and say those jailed have committed crimes - have said more than 600 people have been released, but have not been clear about the timeline and appear to be including releases from previous years. The government has never provided an official list of how many prisoners will be released nor who they are.

Rodriguez also said that the Helicoide prison, a long-standing symbol of alleged government repression that rights groups have long denounced as the site of prisoner abuse, will instead be converted into a sports and social services center.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

CARACAS, VENEZUELA (JANUARY 31, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF EL HELICOIDE BUILDING, HEADQUARTERS OF THE BOLIVARIAN NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE AND DETENTION CENTER

2. FAMILIES OF POLITICAL PRISONERS OUTSIDE ZONE 7 DETENTION CENTER

3. RELATIVE OF POLITICAL PRISONER, MARIANGEL VILLAMEDIANA, OUTSIDE ZONE 7 DETENTION CENTER

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RELATIVE OF POLITICAL PRISONER, MARIANGEL VILLAMEDIANA, SAYING:

"Mrs. Delcy Rodriguez, who is the new acting president of Venezuela, has taken this position and in one way or another was in charge of giving that good news. We are happy, full of faith and hope. What we want now is for them to be free, for everyone to be free, free once and for all, and for them to begin a new clean life."

5. VARIOUS OF TENTS SET UP OUTSIDE ZONE 7 PRISON

6. RELATIVE OF POLITICAL PRISONER, NANCY PLAZA, INSIDE A TENT TALKING WITH ANOTHER PERSON

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RELATIVE OF POLITICAL PRISONER, NANCY PLAZA, SAYING:

"I'm going to believe that yes, they will be released soon. I don't want to have anything negative in my head, and fully trust in God that all political prisoners will be released, especially my husband. We are here in tents, we are all a family, what happens to one hurts us all."

8. VARIOUS OF PETRA VERA, RELATIVE OF POLITICAL PRISONER, DELIVERING TOILET PAPER TO PEOPLE IN THE TENTS

9. RELATIVE OF POLITICAL PRISONER, PETRA VERA,TALKING TO PERSON

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RELATIVE OF POLITICAL PRISONER, PETRA VERA, SAYING:

"We are all happy, not just me, all the relatives are happy, and now when we go to visit we transmit this to them, and they have also felt joy because of all this, because they have hope that we can be together with them, reunited and that they will be fully free soon."

11. VARIOUS OF RELATIVES OF POLITICAL PRISONERS EMBRACING

12. WOMAN WITH VENEZUELAN FLAG OUTSIDE A TENT

13. VARIOUS OF RELATIVES' TENTS OUTSIDE ZONE 7 PRISON

14. VARIOUS OF EL HELICOIDE BUILDING, HEADQUARTERS OF THE BOLIVARIAN NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE AND DETENTION CENTER