The Special Commission for Monitoring the Amnesty Law met with the former Spanish president in the Hall of Shields of the Federal Legislative Palace. / Photo: @Asamblea_Ven
Guacamaya, March 17, 2026. The Spanish politician and former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero landed once again in Caracas with the aim of providing support for the amnesty process promoted by the National Assembly. Upon his arrival, he joined a meeting of the Special Commission for Monitoring the Amnesty Law, led by the president of Parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, to review the scope of the legislation and the cases still excluded.
Zapatero’s main meeting took place in the Hall of Shields of the Federal Legislative Palace, the seat of the National Assembly, where the commission operates. The session included the participation of lawmakers from this body, among them Jorge Arreaza, Pedro Infante, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, Iris Varela, and Francisco Torrealba from the ruling party; and Nora Bracho, Stalin González, Antonio Ecarri, and Luis Florido from the opposition.
According to official figures, the Amnesty Law has so far granted full freedom to more than 7,700 people, most of them citizens who had been under precautionary measures. However, opposition groups and NGOs argue that many political prisoners and exiles remain outside the scope of the legislation.
Zapatero’s role in the parliamentary meeting
According to parliamentary sources, Zapatero arrives to provide political backing to a commission that some lawmakers are attempting to shut down, while others seek to keep it active. His visit aims to strengthen the commission so that the amnesty is applied as broadly and inclusively as possible, in contrast with recent judicial decisions that have denied amnesty to certain sectors.
The presence of the former Spanish president also seeks to reinforce the process with international legitimacy, as it has been framed by the government as part of a “national reconciliation” roadmap. During his previous visit—after being received at Miraflores by Delcy Rodríguez—the ruling party praised Zapatero as a guarantor of a “Bolivarian diplomacy of peace” and highlighted his role in the release of detainees.
Likewise, before this latest trip, Venezuelan opposition leader and former political prisoner Enrique Márquez publicly praised Zapatero and asked that “time vindicate him” for his mediation efforts. Márquez described the former president as a key actor in building spaces for dialogue.
Zapatero’s agenda during this visit
It is still unknown whether Zapatero will formally join the commission’s working dynamics, although he intends to hear specific cases and promote the broadest possible application of the law. During his previous visit, he argued that the measure could mark “a before and after” in Venezuela’s political crisis if extended to all those persecuted for political reasons.
Similarly, he is expected to hold meetings with the government’s top leadership, particularly Jorge Rodríguez and Delcy Rodríguez, to assess the internal and external political impact of the amnesty. At the same time, his presence contributes to the government’s effort to project an image of “openness” and “de-escalation” ahead of potential political tensions in the near future.
