Venezuela at a crossroads: amnesty can reconcile or destroy

While the issue of the release of political prisoners was being debated in parliament, two young men went on a march of their own in Caracas, revealing a rift that no law could fix.

Venezuela at a crossroads: an amnesty that can reconcile or destroy

While parliament is debating the release of political prisoners, two young men marched separately in Caracas, exposing wounds that no law can heal.

Families of Venezuelan political prisoners hope amnesty will be granted today.

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Connected under the harsh Caracas sun, which makes no distinction between ideologies, two Venezuelans marched separately on Youth Day.It's not a celebration, but a heartbeat.A thermometer for the tension experienced on the streets while in the offices of Congress, the fate of hundreds of people was discussed in a word filled with hope and doubt: amnesty.

The air around Venezuela's Central University vibrated with a forgotten energy.A mixture of anger and excitement."We don't want more pay here, bro. "We want justice here!"Faculty of Architecture activist Richard Jasper exclaimed with passion in his voice."Justice for the thugs who are here in disguise and using weapons against the people."The one who threatened, tortured.Many of them are us.Abuse of female students.Their cry was that of the university community, which felt the police attack and lost its fear after a long time.

The march was a challenging first step: a symbolic return to their home where they studied, a practice of the freedom they demand for others. "We are students on the street again!" they chanted.Among the tricolor banners, an unusual image appeared: the flag of the United States next to the flag of Venezuela with "Thank you" handwritten.A gesture that reflects the complex web of influence following the January 3 military intervention.

"Venezuela's amnesty law must take into account the creation of a truth commission"

JORGE BENEZRAN As parliament debates amnesty, civil society organizations have the courage to protest publicly for the first time in a long time.

"I'm here for freedom"

Aura Nariño, a retired nurse, followed the judgment of a mother who had seen a lot."I am here for freedom from all public affairs, to return home to my children," she said calmly.

"You have to know how to distinguish a political prisoner from a political prisoner."This expression describes the division of the world.

The Baduel sisters, the daughters of General Raul Isaias Baduel, who died in prison, used their father's photo as a banner for their struggle and were confident in parliamentary debates.

Miguel Ángel Suárez, president of the FCU, asked for more.The amnesty, he said, "is a first step towards reconciliation on the ground," but he warned that it must be broad, "because it can cover all the cases of political prisoners from 99 to today."

In the western part of the city, there are more young people gathered.The red water of Chavismo appeared with its own story, the same truth that does not feel oppressed, but is beaten.Before them, Venezuela was closed by the imperial power.The goal is clear and expressed by Daniela Salcedo, a young person who attended the main meeting: "As young people, we went to ask the American government to release our President Nicolás."

Catch, not release

In their universe, Nicolás Maduro and Celia Flores are not prisoners of the justice system but hostages of Washington.The American action in January was not about liberation, but about capture.For them, the real human rights violators are not in Caracas but in the north.This perspective, unknown to the opposition, is the backbone of their mobilization.They marched not to protect the government but to protect the country from foreign interference, which they viewed as existential.

The young revolutionary Luigi Mendoza said clearly: "One must know how to distinguish between a political prisoner and a political prisoner."This phrase describes the division of the country.For some, imprisoned dissidents are freedom fighters.For others, they are criminals and conspirators who attacked the state.

Thus, Caracas was split in half.Two marches, two stories, two young people who lived in an incompatible cultural universe.He walked for justice and freedom for his people, remembering the fallen.The other walked out of loyalty to his leader and to protect his work from outside threats.In the middle, the law hangs by a thread, with no promise of reunification, but evidence that in today's Venezuela forgiveness is divided like justice.

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