Venezuelan Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez announced on Monday that more than 50 opposition politicians had received pardons ahead of the December parliamentary elections, and assurances they would be able to participate.
“We hope that all of these measures taken by the Bolivarian government help maintain the democratic focus of all of these political actors,” Rodriguez said in a press conference at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas.
Many of those pardoned had been charged for their roles in the series of uprisings against the Venezuelan government led by Juan Guaido in early 2019. However, others have been imprisoned since before the attempted coup d'etat.
Some of those named include Henry Ramos Allup, Luis Florido, Juan Pablo Guanipa, Renzo Prieto, and Gilber Caro.
At the time president of the National Assembly, Guaido claimed Maduro's reelection in 2018 was illegitimate and named himself as the country's interim president. While Guaido's movement never gained significant traction, it was strongly endorsed by the United States, which along with many European countries, recognized Guaido as the rightful Venezuelan leader.
