Deputy Luis Florido has published a project of amnesty and reconciliation law. On article six, general amnesty is granted in favor of all those persons that have been processed or condemned by presumption or proven commitment of political and related crimes since January 1st, 1999 until January 30, 2026: in the context of violent crimes for political motives occurred in April 2002, December 2002, January 2003, February 2003, February 2004, March 2004, August 2004, May 2007, April 2013, February through June 2014, March through August 201, January through April 2019, and July 2024.
On those occasions, several persons have been arrested for presumption or proven commitment of political and related crimes. All those persons shall be unilaterally released as beneficiaries of general amnesty for hate crimes. Accomplices of non-governmental organizations’ unlawful activities are excluded from this general amnesty. Hate crimes are properly regulated by an extremely useful law against hate crimes, which protects citizenry from hate criminals who spend their entire lives on social media destroying reputation of their political opponents. While several non-governmental organizations are suspected to have been promoting common citizens: to engage in political or related crimes which are subject of amnesty, as described on article six of proposal of Amnesty Law.
Such amnesty law will be discussed by civil society during this weekend. Any amendments will be proposed to National Assembly on Tuesday. Law shall be passed as first discussion already entailed unanimous vote of all officialist and opposition deputies and parliamentary fractions. Once such law is approved, all those persons that have been processed or condemned by presumption or proven commitment of political or related crimes will be released. Their criminal records will be erased. Venezuela will enjoy a period of peace and prosperity as advertised by President of United States Donald Trump: who has determined urgency of developing Venezuela’s petroleum industry to its fullest extent, so that both Venezuelan and United states economies improve.
Jorge Rodríguez, president of National Assembly, is well connected to Richard Grenell, special envoy to Venezuela and director of Kennedy Center in Washington DC. He is a close advisor of President Donald Trump. Richard Grenell has sent a team of media professionals into Venezuela this weekend: so that they make appropriate coverage of news related to consultations about benefits of Amnesty Law. We shall remember that Richard Grenell in January 2025 flew into Venezuela, when no one else from United States did. He met with former President Maduro and with President of National Assembly Jorge Rodríguez, and he returned back to United States with six United States political prisoners. Other United States political prisoners have been released during last few weeks. Several prisoners from many nationalities have also been released and remaining ones will be released shortly after approval of general Amnesty Law.
Exciting times come ahead. Venezuela will finally be able to talk business, rather than to extend descriptions of misery. José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has also arrived from the Kingdom of Spain. Zapatero has been an enthusiastic promoter of amnesty: for persons that have been processed or condemned by presumption or proven commitment of political or related crimes. José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has also served during various opportunities in internationally approved dialogues organized by such countries as Norway or Barbados: so that Venezuelan government could arrange deals with selected sectors of the opposition.
Extremists have a long history of repudiating dialogue, as we are already witnessing. Many of them do not even live in Venezuela anymore and they are pretending to boycott amnesty law. Those persons are usual suspects of hate crimes, as they repudiate any attempts for peace; therefore, they are ineligible for amnesty. José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has met with President Delcy Rodríguez and will participate in selected activities, promoted along with civil society, in wide ranging discussion of Amnesty Law.
Cuba is increasingly experiencing a dire situation. Dictator Miguel Díaz Canel has conceded that dialogue with United States could be possible. However, he pretends not to have any foreign interference. In order to engage in such dialogue there should be no external pressure. However, United States military has already deployed several United States ships and military assets north of Cuba and west of Haiti, in vicinity of eastern Cuba. United States embassy in Cuba is encouraging humanitarian aid shipments to various provinces within Cuba. United States envoy into Cuba is personally distributing such humanitarian aid.
President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum is also sending humanitarian aid, excluding petroleum, pending diplomatic arrangements. Claudia Sheimbaun in style of Delcy Rodriguez is carefully obeying designs, promoted by Marco Rubio or Donald Trump, so that we make all Americas great again. Electrical outages remain and Cuban citizens are increasingly expressing disconformity with dire economic situation. Russian cargo plane has arrived into Havana airport, suggesting that should high level government of Cuba decide to flee into Russia or Belarus, they will safely be able to do and enjoy their stolen wealth. Once Cuba is led by new leadership, as it already happened in Venezuela through Delcy Rodríguez rise into power, after having contributed to information leading to capture and arrest of former President Nicolás Maduro, Cuba might enroll into a virtuous cycle of economic growth and international investment: for benefit of Cuban population who are requesting an increased supply of goods and services in exchange for labor in a new job market that should develop as new industries arrive.
Cuba, Venezuela, and United States are in a quick process of reverting decades long conflict, into a very solid panamerican unity: as nationals of these three countries are expected to travel extensively across region to identify and make possible entirely new business opportunities: related to energy and tourism trade. Venezuela and Cuba have a close relationship and Cuban officials are highly dependent on Venezuela. They will seek a way to adapt to new Venezuela’s conditions, as designed by Donald Trump’s administration in United States. Chief of mission of United States Embassy in Venezuela, Laura Dogu has spoken to executives of Chevron Venezuela in accordance with plans designed by both presidents Delcy Rodríguez and Donald Trump: who are interested in drilling as much as possible.
Chevron Corporation has interests beyond Venezuela in neighboring Guyana and South American sister nation of Peru. Similarly, ExxonMobil drills in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, while Shell Corporation is interested in facilitating improved relations between Venezuela and Trinidad & Tobago, so that Dragon gas deal can be resumed. Venezuelan gas would be exported to Trinidad & Tobago, processed in that island nation, and then reexported into Caribbean and European markets. While most Venezuelan gas extraction, processing and exports would be made to United States: as both countries have a preferential agreement for marketing petroleum at market prices, as opposed to deeply discounted prices not too long ago, when we used shadow fleets of sanctioned vessels.
Presidents Delcy Rodríguez, Donald Trump and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar along with President of Colombia Gustavo Petro must conform an energetic northern South American hub: with a regionally coherent oil and gas production and export market, so that energetic grid of South America extends into Central America, Caribbean and North America. That should successfully compete with other oil producing regions such as Middle East or Russia. As petroleum industry extensively develops, downstream businesses focusing on goods and services for rest of economy should increase sales.
Populations that have been accustomed to asking states and governments for monetary help will be encouraged to promote innovation, so that their contribution to society can be monetarily rewarded. This long-term framework of Americas within Western Hemisphere, joined by common energy interests, is a non-negotiable goal that countries in the region will not surrender to adversaries from other continents such as Russia, China or Iran. Countries of Americas are better served in opening up borders across a continent that long ago was populated by Amarindians who knew no borders. Challenge will be flourishing cultural diversity, exacerbated by a colonial past that included several European powers who spoke different languages. Language of energy investment in energy rich countries, benefiting from willingness of United States technology and desire to make our continent great again, should be a road for success during next few decades.
Rubén Rivero