Opposition activists among 1,557 prisoners set for release under Venezuela's amnesty

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — At least 1,557 people held in Venezuela for political reasons have submitted their applications under an amnesty bill that was signed into law this week and are expected to be released from prison, authorities said Saturday.

Thursday’s measure is expected to benefit opposition members, activists, human rights defenders, journalists and many others detained for months or even years.

Its approval marked a reversal for Venezuelan authorities, who for decades have denied holding any political prisoners. It follows last month’s stunning U.S. military raid in the country’s capital, Caracas, to capture then-President Nicolás Maduro.

“As of today, 1,152 new applications have been received, for a total of 1,557 that are being addressed immediately, and at this moment hundreds of releases of persons deprived of liberty who are benefiting from the Amnesty Law are already taking place,” National Assembly leader Jorge Rodríguez said on Saturday.

Earlier, the president of the special commission overseeing the amnesty law, Jorge Arreaza, said Friday night on state television that 379 amnesty requests had been received and that the applicants’ releases would take place between Friday and Saturday. Further releases could be granted within 15 days, he said.

Gonzalo Himiob, vice president of Venezuela-based prisoners’ rights group Foro Penal, told The Associated Press on Saturday that so far some have been released in the state of Barinas, in the southwest of the country, but the process of verifying releases under the amnesty was still ongoing.

The new law excludes those convicted of homicide, drug trafficking, serious human rights violations and military rebellion.

Human rights organizations are calling for the law to be applied to all prisoners held for political reasons, even if they are not listed among the beneficiaries.

“It is discriminatory and unconstitutional to exclude imprisoned military personnel and persecuted political figures,” Alfredo Romero, president of Foro Penal, said on X Saturday. Without this, “there can be no talk of national coexistence,” he said.

Rodríguez said that thousands of requests are being processed from “individuals who were under alternative measures to the system of deprivation of liberty,” and that they are likewise covered by the recently approved Amnesty Law.

Delcy Rodríguez, acting president of Venezuela since Jan. 5, said during the signing of the law that it showed that the country’s political leaders were “letting go of a little intolerance and opening new avenues for politics in Venezuela.”

The bill’s purpose is to grant people “a general and full amnesty for crimes or offenses committed” during specific periods since 1999 that were marked by politically driven conflicts in Venezuela, including “acts of politically motivated violence” in the context of the 2024 presidential election. The aftermath of that election led to protests and the arrest of more than 2,000 people, including minors.

In the days after Maduro’s Jan. 3 capture, Rodríguez’s government announced it would release a significant number of prisoners. However, relatives and human rights watchdogs have criticized the slow pace of releases and the restrictive conditions under which many have been placed after leaving prison.

Venezuela-based nonprofit Justice, Encounter and Forgiveness has tallied 459 releases of detainees held for political reasons between Jan. 8 and Feb. 20.

Relatives of detainees they say are held for political reasons wait outside El Helicoide, headquarters of Venezuela's intelligence service and a detention center, after the National Assembly approved an amnesty bill in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Crisitian Hernandez)

Relatives of detainees they say are held for political reasons wait outside El Helicoide, headquarters of Venezuela's intelligence service and a detention center, after the National Assembly approved an amnesty bill in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Crisitian Hernandez)

Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez holds up an amnesty bill approved by the National Assembly alongside Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodriguez walks back into Miraflores Palace after signing an amnesty bill approved by the National Assembly in front of journalists in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Relatives of detainees they say are held for political reasons wait outside El Helicoide, the headquarters of Venezuela's intelligence service and a detention center, after the National Assembly approved an amnesty bill in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Crisitian Hernandez)

LECCE, Italy (AP) — Substitutes Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Manuel Akanji scored late for Inter Milan to stretch its Serie A lead to 10 points with an unspectacular 2-0 win at Lecce on Saturday.

Both players were sent on for the last half hour. Mkhitaryan was left unmarked at the far post to score from Federico Dimarco’s corner in the 75th minute, and Akanji headed in from another corner in the 82nd.

“We knew they would drop off physically in the second half, and we did well to keep pushing,” Mkhitaryan said.

Dimarco thought he’d scored after the break but the goal was ruled out after a VAR check found Marcus Thuram was offside. Dimarco later had another effort to seal the win cleared off the line before he took the corner for Akanji's goal.

Inter was without star players Lautaro Martínez and Hakan Çalhanoğlu.

“Sometimes we produce our best in big matches, other times we don’t,” Akanji said. “But there aren’t two different versions of Inter. Yes, we lost to Bodø/Glimt last time out in the Champions League, but we’re still the same team capable of great things.”

Inter lost 3-1 to Bodø/Glimt in the first leg of their Champions League playoff. The Norwegian tournament upstart visits Milan for the second leg on Tuesday.

Inter’s seventh consecutive league win moved it 10 points clear of AC Milan before its city rival hosts Parma on Sunday.

Juventus’ damaging week continued with a 2-0 loss at home to Como that dents the Italian power’s hopes of Champions League qualification.

The defeat comes days after the Bianconeri’s 5-2 loss at Galatasaray in the first leg of the playoffs in this season’s Champions League. Juventus welcomes the Turkish team for the second leg on Wednesday.

Mërgim Vojvoda scored early for Como with a shot that Michele Di Gregorio should have saved after getting his arm to ball. The chance came about after Juventus’ Weston McKennie lost the ball in midfield.

There were whistles from frustrated Juve fans at the break, and it didn’t get any better for their team after the restart.

Lucas da Cunha broke through to set up Maxence Caqueret for Como’s second in the 61st.

It's Juventus' third straight defeat across all competitions and its fifth game in a row without a win.

“We made too many mistakes today. There were a number of moments where we created the problems for ourselves, and the pressure kicked in and affected us. The qualities we’ve shown haven’t disappeared, but now we can’t recognize them,” Juve coach Luciano Spalletti said. “We’re lacking a bit of cohesion, a bit of tenacity. We need to take the initiative.”

Spalletti's team remained fifth, a point behind Roma before the capital club hosts Cremonese on Sunday. Como stayed sixth, a point behind Juve. Only the top four qualify for Europe’s premier competition.

Lazio was to visit Cagliari for the late game.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Lecce's Walid Cheddira, right, and Inter's Alessandro Bastoni in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lecce and Inter Milan in Lecce, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (Giovanni Evangelista/LaPresse via AP)

Lecce's Tiago Gabriel, left, and Inter's Andy Diouf in action during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lecce and Inter Milan in Lecce, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (Giovanni Evangelista/LaPresse via AP)

Juventus' Teun Koopmeiners, left, fights for the ball with Como's Maxence Caqueret during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Como in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/dpa via AP)

Juventus' Andrea Cambiaso, left, fights for the ball with Como's Mergim Voivode during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Como in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/dpa via AP)

Juventus' Manuel Locatelli, right, fights for the ball with Como's Lucas Da Cunha during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Como in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Juventus' Kenan Yildiz, right, fights for the ball with Como's Lucas Da Cunha during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Como in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Juventus' Kenan Yildiz fights for the ball with Como's Jacobo Ramon, right, during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Como in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)