Venezuela Announces Mass Amnesty and Shutdown of Notorious ‘El Helicoide’ Prison
The Chronify
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has proposed a sweeping amnesty law to release hundreds of political prisoners, signaling a major shift in the country's judicial landscape. In a symbolic move to "heal the wounds" of decades of conflict, she also ordered the closure of El Helicoide, a facility long associated with state-sponsored torture.
In her most significant reform since assuming the presidency on January 3, 2026, Delcy Rodríguez announced a general amnesty bill during a ceremony at the Supreme Court on Friday. The proposed law aims to cover political violence and confrontations dating back to 1999, though it will exclude those convicted of homicide, drug trafficking, or human rights violations. This initiative follows the dramatic removal and detention of former President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces earlier this month, which has left Rodríguez leading a transitional government under intense international and domestic pressure.
Central to this announcement is the immediate shutdown of El Helicoide, the headquarters of the national intelligence service (SEBIN) and Venezuela’s most feared detention center. The iconic spiral building, originally designed as a shopping mall, has faced years of condemnation from human rights organizations for documenting systemic abuses. Rodríguez declared that the facility will be repurposed into a "sports, social, and cultural center" for the local community, serving as a pillar for her administration's new "Program for Coexistence and Peace."
The move has been met with a mix of cautious optimism and skepticism. While families of detainees gathered outside the prison gates in celebration, opposition leaders, including María Corina Machado, argued that these concessions are not voluntary but rather a direct response to the "Operation Absolute Resolve" military intervention and ongoing U.S. diplomatic pressure. As the National Assembly prepares to fast-track the bill, the government is also moving forward with a major judicial overhaul and the privatization of the national oil sector to stabilize the fractured economy.
Central to this announcement is the immediate shutdown of El Helicoide, the headquarters of the national intelligence service (SEBIN) and Venezuela’s most feared detention center. The iconic spiral building, originally designed as a shopping mall, has faced years of condemnation from human rights organizations for documenting systemic abuses. Rodríguez declared that the facility will be repurposed into a "sports, social, and cultural center" for the local community, serving as a pillar for her administration's new "Program for Coexistence and Peace."
The move has been met with a mix of cautious optimism and skepticism. While families of detainees gathered outside the prison gates in celebration, opposition leaders, including María Corina Machado, argued that these concessions are not voluntary but rather a direct response to the "Operation Absolute Resolve" military intervention and ongoing U.S. diplomatic pressure. As the National Assembly prepares to fast-track the bill, the government is also moving forward with a major judicial overhaul and the privatization of the national oil sector to stabilize the fractured economy.
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