VENEZUELA PARDONS DOZENS OF OPPOSITION POLITICIANS

Venezuela said on Monday (Tuesday, September 1, 2020 in Manila) it had pardoned more than 100 opposition politicians, including more than 20 legislators who had been accused of conspiring against President Nicolas Maduro, as the country heads toward parliamentary elections in December.

The effort signals that the ruling Socialist Party is seeking to boost participation in the upcoming vote, which part of the opposition had vowed to boycott on the grounds that it is rigged, Brian Ellsworth, Vivian Sequera, Deisy Buitrago and Mayela Armas and Angus Berwick reported for Reuters on September 2, 2020. 

Those pardoned via a presidential decree include legislator Freddy Guevara, who sought asylum in the Chilean diplomatic residence, as well as Roberto Marrero, who had served as chief of staff to opposition leader and congress chief Juan Guaido. Chief prosecutor Tarek Saab said in a telephone interview said that the pardons were meant to “promote political debate” and to “strengthen the right to human suffrage.” He added: “If they return to any act of terrorism, violence or coup-mongering, obviously this benefit will cease,” he said. 

Many of those mentioned participated in a failed 2019 rebellion that sought to persuade the military to drop their backing for Maduro but ultimately failed to sway top commanders. Some of those pardoned are imprisoned, while others have sought diplomatic asylum or are in exile. Opposition leaders say Maduro’s 2018 re-election was fraudulent, and have recognized Guaido as the legitimate president. More than 50 other countries, including the United States, followed suit.