Venezuela parliament approves amnesty law, Maduro vows to veto

Source: Reuters

Venezuela's opposition-controlled Congress late on Tuesday approved an amnesty law to free jailed opposition activists and end legal proceedings against others, a measure President Nicolas Maduro promised to veto.

The law would benefit high-profile government adversaries including Leopoldo Lopez, who was arrested in 2014 on accusations that he helped spur a wave of demonstrations that ultimately left more than 40 people dead.

"Rest assured that the law will not get past me," Maduro said in a televised speech several hours before the law was given final parliamentary approval. "Laws to protect terrorists and criminals will not get past me, no matter what they do."

Maduro denies opposition accusations that his administration holds political prisoners, insisting they are simply "imprisoned politicians."

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