CARACAS, Venezuela — Relatives of detained Venezuelan activists, journalists, and opposition figures have intensified their demands for the liberation of approximately 800 individuals still imprisoned under President Nicolás Maduro’s administration. The protests follow two weeks of vigil outside Caracas’ notorious Helicoide prison, where families gathered in anticipation of promised releases that have largely failed to materialize.
The government’s pledge to free a “significant number” of detainees came after Maduro’s deposition during a U.S. military operation in early January. However, the actual number of released prisoners remains minimal, with only 145 verified cases documented by Venezuela’s leading prisoner rights organization, Foro Penal.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez characterized the situation as “a new political moment” for Venezuela and committed to continuing prisoner releases. Yet for families like that of Francis Quiñones, whose son has been detained for over five years without communication for six months, these assurances ring hollow amid ongoing psychological torment.
Alfredo Romero, director of Foro Penal, revealed that even those who have been released face severe restrictions including media gag orders, mandatory check-ins with authorities, and travel bans. “These people are not free,” Romero stated. “They are subjected to constant, latent persecution.”
The emotional toll on families remains profound as they maintain their vigil outside Helicoide prison, displaying posters of missing loved ones and holding candlelight vigils while awaiting genuine justice and family reunification.