CARACAS, Venezuela — In a significant development for human rights in Venezuela, the nation’s leading prisoner advocacy organization confirmed the release of dozens of detainees over the weekend. This action comes amid sustained international pressure and follows the recent political upheaval that saw the ouster of former leader Nicolás Maduro.
Foro Penal, Venezuela’s prominent rights monitoring group, reported through its president Alfredo Romero that 266 individuals classified as political prisoners have gained freedom since January 8. This date marks when Venezuela’s interim government committed to liberating a substantial number of detainees as part of a national reconciliation initiative.
The prisoner releases occur during a period of dramatic political transition. Maduro was apprehended by United States authorities in a January 3 operation, leading to Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assuming the role of acting president. Rodríguez, a seasoned insider within the ruling party apparatus, now leads the nation through this transitional phase.
Among those recently released are prominent cases including an opposition activist, a human rights attorney, and a journalism student imprisoned since March. The student’s detention followed his publication of complaints regarding his hometown’s sewage infrastructure, for which he faced charges of “inciting hatred.
Despite these releases, Foro Penal estimates that at least 600 dissidents remain incarcerated in Venezuelan detention facilities. This number includes several members of the Vente Venezuela party, which operates under the leadership of opposition figure and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado.
Acting President Rodríguez stated on Friday that her administration has secured the freedom of more than 620 prisoners total. She further announced intentions to request verification of these release figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
However, domestic human rights organizations have raised concerns about potential inflation of the government’s release statistics. Outside Venezuelan prisons, family members of those still detained continue to organize regular vigils, maintaining public pressure for the liberation of all remaining political prisoners.