The following is an unformatted translation of the recent Amnesty Law approved by the National Assembly of Venezuela. The original in Spanish is attached in pdf format for your reference.
OFFICIAL GAZETTE OF THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA
YEAR CLIII – MONTH V | Caracas, Thursday, February 19, 2026 | No. 6.990 Extraordinary
SUMMARY
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Amnesty Law for Democratic Coexistence.
AMNESTY LAW FOR DEMOCRATIC COEXISTENCE
Object
Article 1. This Law aims to grant a general and full amnesty for crimes or offenses committed and occurring within the framework of the events and the time period indicated in this Law, to promote social peace and democratic coexistence.
Purposes
Article 2. This Law aims to:
Contribute to the promotion of peace, democratic coexistence, rectification, and national reconciliation.
Generate conditions that favor the harmonious development of national life, public tranquility, democratic participation, and political pluralism.
Promote the use of democratic and constitutional mechanisms to resolve differences arising within society and thus prevent the events subject to amnesty or similar events from repeating.
Favor the reintegration of the persons benefited by this Law into public activity.
Principles
Article 3. This Law is governed by the principles and values of life, liberty, justice, peace, speed, equality, solidarity, democracy, social responsibility, and, in general, the preeminence of human rights, ethics, and political pluralism.
Public Order and General Interest
Article 4. The provisions of this Law are of public order and general interest.
Principle of Interpretation
Article 5. In case of doubt in the interpretation or application of this Law, the one that most favors the respect, protection, and guarantee of human rights shall be adopted, including what is established in Article 24 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Temporal Scope
Article 6. The amnesty provided for in Article 1 includes all actions or omissions that constitute crimes or offenses, committed and occurring between January 1, 1999, until the entry into force of this Law, within the framework of the amnestied events.
Personal Scope
Article 7. The amnesty covered by this Law includes any person who is or may be prosecuted or convicted of crimes or offenses committed in the framework of the events subject to amnesty, provided they are or appear before the law after the entry into force of this Law.
Events Subject to Amnesty
Article 8. General amnesty is granted for crimes or offenses committed in the context of the following events:
The coup d’état of April 11 and 12, 2002.
The business and oil strike/sabotage from December 2002 to February 2003.
Events related to the 2004 presidential recall referendum.
Violent events for political reasons in May 2007.
Violent events for political reasons between July and September 2009.
Events related to the April 2013 presidential elections.
Violent events for political reasons between February and June 2014.
Actions of the National Assembly for the 2016-2021 period.
Violent events for political reasons between March and August 2017.
Violent events for political reasons between January and April 2019 (excluding military rebellion).
Internal processes for selecting presidential candidates in 2023.
Violent events for political reasons in the framework of the July 2024 presidential elections.
Violent events for political reasons in the framework of the 2025 regional and National Assembly elections.
Excluded Crimes
Article 9. The following are excluded from amnesty:
Serious violations of human rights, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
Intentional homicide and extremely serious injuries.
Trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic substances.
Crimes provided for in the Anti-Corruption Law.
Persons involved in armed actions against the sovereignty of the Republic by foreign States or entities.
Extinction by Operation of Law
Article 10. This amnesty extinguishes all criminal, disciplinary, or civil actions against the beneficiaries, including extradition requests.
Judicial Procedure
Article 11. The competent court, at the request of a party, will verify the amnesty requirements in each case and decree the dismissal of ongoing processes or the revision of final sentences within fifteen (15) continuous days.
Final Provision
UNIQUE. This Law shall enter into force as of the date of its publication in the Official Gazette of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Given, signed, and sealed at the Federal Legislative Palace, seat of the National Assembly, in Caracas, on the nineteenth day of February 2026.
Jorge Rodríguez Gómez, President of the National Assembly.
Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez, Acting President of the Republic.