Venezuela congress passes bill to free jailed activists

Opposition-led congress passes law aimed at freeing "political prisoners", setting up fight with President Maduro.

Human rights groups have called Leopoldo Lopez one of the highest profile political prisoners in Latin America

Venezuela's opposition-led congress has passed an amnesty bill that aims to free more than 70 high-profile activists and politicians, setting up a fight with President Nicolas Maduro.

The legislation poses the biggest challenge to Maduro's socialist administration yet since the Democratic Unity Roundtable opposition coalition took control of the National Assembly following last year's election.


Foro Penal, a Venezuelan human rights group that backed the amnesty bill, passed on Tuesday, has logged about 4.000 detentions related to protests since 2014. Almost 400 of the detainees were minors or teenagers.

Among the prominent figures who could be freed if the bill becomes law is opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez. Lopez was convicted of inciting 2014 anti-government protests that led to violence killing 43 people. He was found guilty of provoking arson, violence and damage to public property and condemned to 13 years and nine months in prison.

But human rights groups allege that the charges were politically motivated and have called Lopez one of Latin America's highest profile political prisoners. Meanwhile, Maduro has vowed to veto the bill, blasting it as an attempt to liberate whom he called criminals.

And officials from Maduro's United Socialist Party said that if congress overrides Madruo's veto of the bill, the Supreme Court would block the legislation. The court has thwarted most congressional action this year.