200 Political Prisoners in Venezuela Stage Mass Hunger Strike
More than 200 political prisoners in Venezuela staged a mass hunger strike on Sunday (22 February) local time. The hunger strike was intended to demand their release under the latest amnesty law, which excludes many of them.
The political prisoners held at Rodeo I prison, located 40 kilometres east of the capital Caracas, shouted from inside their cells as part of the protest, AFP reported on Monday (23 February 2026).
According to an AFP journalist at the scene, the prisoners chanted “Freedom!”, “Free us all”, and “Rodeo I in action” during their protest, which could be heard from outside the detention facility.
The new amnesty law was approved by Venezuela’s congress on Thursday (19 February) local time, as part of a wave of reforms driven by the United States following the overthrow and detention of former President Nicolás Maduro in an operation on 3 January.
The mass hunger strike began on Friday (20 February) evening, after prisoners complained they would not benefit from the new legislation because it excludes cases involving the military — the most common type of case at the facility.
“Around 214 people in total, including Venezuelan and foreign nationals, are on hunger strike,” said Yalitza Garcia, the mother-in-law of one prisoner named Nahuel Agustin Gallo.
Gallo, an Argentine police officer, was accused of involvement in terrorism — another type of case excluded by the new law.
“They decided on Friday (20 February) to go on hunger strike because of the scope of the amnesty law, which excludes many of them,” said Shakira Ibarreto, the daughter of a police officer arrested in 2024.
On Sunday (22 February) local time, a team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited Rodeo I.
“This is the first time they have allowed us to approach the prison. This is a first step, and I think we are on the right track,” ICRC health coordinator for Venezuela Filippo Gatti told family members of the prisoners.
It was noted that not all inmates at Rodeo I prison joined the hunger strike.
The amnesty law, drafted by interim President Delcy Rodriguez under US pressure, has drawn criticism from Venezuela’s opposition for including exclusions for a number of offences previously used to target Maduro’s political opponents.
The law also excludes members of the security forces convicted of terrorism-related activities.
However, the amnesty does apply to 11,000 political prisoners who, over nearly three decades, were released on parole or placed under house arrest. More than 1,500 political prisoners in Venezuela have filed amnesty applications under the law.