Opposition advocate cannot see any obstacles to amnesty in Venezuela

Deputy Edgar Zambrano, the middleman between the government of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and dissenters striving to release political prisoners, stays optimistic despite the remarks of the Solicitor General

Zambrano downplayed Cilia Flores' comments (File photo)

MARÍA FERNANDA ESPINOZA | EL UNIVERSAL

Tuesday December 25, 2012 01:45 PM

Neither Edgar Zambrano, a congressman for opposition Acción Democrática (AD) party, nor the relatives of political prisoners and exiles have lost their hope for an amnesty.

He promised not to take issue with Solicitor General Cilia Flores, who reasserted on Monday that in Venezuela there are only officials convicted for crimes.

"We understand that the remark is a political statement," the parliamentarian commented.

He squeezed in the call to talks made by President Hugo Chávez shortly after his reelection.

"We have grasped such a call for dialogue, and it is imperative, as it happens in any smart society, for the sake of prisoners and exiles," Zambrano emphasized.

Lastly, he urged the Executive Office to make a soon as possible a decision for the release of prisoners for political reasons. For such purpose, he noted, the Solicitor General "is a very important factor."

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The dialogue experience

José Vicente Rangel clearly said: "We are not conducting negotiations threatened with a gun in the head." He warned behind closed doors in the midst of the social upheaval occurred during the oil strike in 2002 and 2003. Dissenting Timoteo Zambrano answered back that no other option was available: "The thing is that otherwise, you do not negotiate."

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