In a tragic turn of events, former Venezuelan police officer Edilson Torres passed away from a heart attack just days before his anticipated release from prison. The 51-year-old was buried Tuesday in his rural hometown of Guanare, surrounded by family, friends, and fellow officers who gathered to honor his memory.
Torres had been held incommunicado since his November detention on charges his family maintains were politically motivated. His death occurred on Saturday, coinciding with the Venezuelan government’s promised prisoner releases following the U.S. capture of then-President Nicolás Maduro.
This development has triggered a remarkable shift in Venezuela’s human rights landscape. Alfredo Romero, director of the non-governmental organization Foro Penal, reported receiving a “flood of messages” from families previously hesitant to come forward. These families are now actively registering their loved ones as political prisoners, seeing the current situation as a window of hope for freedom.
According to Romero, approximately 300 families have contacted Foro Penal in recent days, with about 100 cases confirmed as politically motivated. Most newly reported cases involve individuals who previously worked for Venezuela’s military.
The release process has shown mixed results. While Foro Penal confirmed 55 prisoner releases by Tuesday morning, the Venezuelan government claimed 116 releases without providing identification, making verification impossible.
Among those successfully released are human rights attorney Rocío San Miguel (who immediately relocated to Spain), opposition leader Biagio Pilieri (part of Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado’s 2024 presidential campaign), and former electoral authority Enrique Márquez.
Italian businessman Marco Burlò, released Monday, described his detention as a “pure and real kidnapping” during a press conference in Rome. He reported being kept completely isolated without access to legal defense or family communication throughout his imprisonment.
The head of Venezuela’s national assembly previously stated that a “significant number” of prisoners would be released as a gesture to “seek peace,” though the tragic death of Edilson Torres underscores the human cost of delayed justice.