NEARLY 2,200 people have been released from Venezuelan jails or had other legal restrictions withdrawn since the start of a new amnesty law, ruling party lawmaker Jorge Arreaza said on Monday.

The law, passed last week, has been critiqued by human rights organizations which say it falls short of offering relief for hundreds of political prisoners. It provides amnesty for involvement in political protests and “violent actions” during specific months between 2002 and 2025, but does not detail the exact crimes that are eligible.

Though the government has always denied holding political prisoners and says those jailed have committed crimes, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez had already released hundreds of people who rights groups classify as political prisoners prior to the passage of the law. The effort is seen as part of a package of deals key to normalizing relations with the US following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro in January.

Venezuela’s opposition and human rights groups have said for years the government uses detentions to stamp out dissent.

“Today we can say that thanks to the law 177 releases have taken place and 2,021 people who were under presentation restrictions have been given full liberations,” said Mr. Arreaza, the president of the legislative commission set up to monitor the implementation of the law, speaking alongside Ms. Rodriguez at the presidential palace.

People released from jail in Venezuela can be held on house arrest or required to regularly report to police or courts for a specific period.

More than 3,000 requests have been made by attorneys and others on behalf of prisoners who want to benefit from the law, Mr. Arreaza added. Tribunals must decide on requests within 15 days, according to the law.

The law does not return seized assets, revoke public office bans given for political reasons or cancel sanctions against media outlets. It also requires those living abroad who are facing charges to appear in person in Venezuela to have their amnesty granted.

The law will only cover “people who have ceased the execution of the actions which constitute crimes,” a specification which may leave out many in the opposition who have continued their activism from other countries.

Meanwhile, Alfredo Romero, the director of legal rights group Foro Penal, said more than 30 people had been released from the Rodeo detention center near Caracas on Monday, joining others released from various facilities over the weekend.

Foro Penal said on Sunday more than 460 people have been freed since January 8, a count which does not include those released from prison but given house arrest or other restrictive measures.

Opposition politicians, dissident members of the security services, journalists and rights activists have long been subject to charges like terrorism and treason, which they, their families and their lawyers say are unjust and arbitrary.

Among the prominent released figures are opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa, who was freed, detained again and then later released from a house arrest order, and lawyer Perkins Rocha, who is under house arrest. Both men are close allies of Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

Also freed since January are opposition leader Freddy Superlano, who remains under house arrest, Rafael Tudares, the son-in-law of former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, and Javier Tarazona, the director of an NGO. — Reuters

ALBERTVILLE, France — The Olympic flag returned to French soil on Monday, less than two years after the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, as preparations began for the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps.

The Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region and the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF) welcomed back their delegation and the flag. The celebration drew a raucous crowd of thousands in Albertville, where the last Winter Olympics in France were held in 1992, following Chamonix 1924 and Grenoble 1968.

“A moment full of enthusiasm, part of the momentum building up to the 2030 Games,” Fabrice Pannekoucke, the president of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes regional council, said during last week’s press conference to introduce the celebration.

“We know that the history of the Winter Games in France stopped in Albertville.”

The event followed the ceremonial handover on Sunday, when Mr. Pannekoucke and his Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur counterpart Renaud Muselier received the Olympic flag during the 2026 Games closing ceremony in Verona.

France enjoyed their best ever Winter Games haul in Milano-Cortina. Their 23 medals included eight golds.

“Sharing this with all the French fans will be a nice little moment of happiness,” biathlon mass start Olympic champion Oceane Michelon told reporters in Albertville.

Ice dancers Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry won the Olympic title less than a year after forming their partnership.

“The pleasure we shared on the ice was amazing,” Fournier Beaudry said. “We don’t know yet what the future reserves for us but we know that we will keep skating together and we will regroup at the end of the season to see what we want to do.”

Ski mountaineers Thibault Anselmet and Emily Harrop won the inaugural mixed relay title at the Milano Cortina Games but the future of their event within the Olympics remains uncertain.

“We’re not sure yet whether ski mountaineering will be included, but we’re very hopeful and, based on what we’ve experienced here, we’re confident,” Ms. Harrop told reporters.

The celebration, attended by the French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, was held amid a governance crisis in the French Alps organising committee with a wave of resignations and “irreconcilable differences” between Games chief Edgar Grospiron and CEO Cyril Linette, according to an official statement.

“We’re managing, we’re keeping things going. There’s turbulence, we agree, but we’re working,” Mr. Grospiron said on France TV. “When you aim high, it inevitably makes the difficulties greater, but I won’t compromise on our vision.” — Reuters

LONDON/SYDNEY — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would back plans to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession to the British throne in a letter he sent to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office.

Last week, a UK official said the British government was considering legislation to ensure that Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor, currently eighth in line to the throne, could never be king following his arrest as part of a police investigation into his ties to disgraced US financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

King Charles, who last year stripped his brother of his title of prince and forced him out of his Windsor home, is not only the monarch and head of state in Britain, but also in Australia and 13 other countries.

Any changes to the succession to the throne have to be approved not just in Britain but also in the other realms.

In the letter seen by Reuters, Mr. Albanese told Mr. Starmer that in light of the recent events, his government would agree to any proposal to remove King Charles’ younger brother from the line of succession.

“I agree with His Majesty that the law must now take its full course and there must be a full, fair and proper investigation,” his letter said.

Speaking to ABC Radio on Tuesday, Mr. Albanese said Australians did not regard Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor as an appropriate figure to remain in the line of succession to be Australia’s head of state.

“I certainly do (want him removed) and I think Australians will as well. These are very serious allegations,” Mr. Albanese said.

The British monarch is the head of state in Australia, New Zealand and 12 other Commonwealth realms outside the United Kingdom, although the role is largely ceremonial.

In a statement on Tuesday, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s office said his government would support any proposal to remove Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor from the order of succession.

The last time changes were made to the line of succession came in 2013, when a law was passed to end a 300-year-old system that gave precedence to male heirs.

The British government has said any change would follow the completion of a police investigation. Officers are searching Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor’s former mansion in Windsor as part of an investigation into whether he committed misconduct in a public office during his time as government trade envoy.

Other allegations relating to Mr. Epstein are also being considered by various British police forces. Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor, who has made no public comment since the mass release of documents by the US government linked to Mr. Epstein last month, has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to the late financier. — Reuters