Venezuela’s government has announced the release of dozens more political detainees amid mounting international pressure and diplomatic maneuvers following the military ouster of long-term autocrat Nicolas Maduro. The interim administration of Delcy Rodriguez, while maintaining its allegiance to Maduro’s legacy, is engaging in multifaceted negotiations with Washington seeking to leverage Venezuela’s substantial oil reserves.
According to official statements from Caracas, 116 political prisoners gained freedom in recent hours, though opposition groups and human rights organizations report significantly lower figures—approximately 50 releases since last Thursday based on AFP calculations using NGO and opposition data. The discrepancy highlights ongoing tensions in Venezuela’s transitional process.
The developments occur against a backdrop of intensified diplomatic activity. US envoys visited Caracas Friday to discuss reopening Washington’s embassy after seven years of severed relations. President Trump expressed openness to meeting with Rodriguez, noting their administrations were collaborating “really well.”
Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado conducted high-level diplomacy at the Vatican, urging Pope Leo XIV to “intercede for all Venezuelans who remain kidnapped and disappeared.” Machado emphasized the opposition’s recognition of Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia’s legitimacy as the true victor of the disputed 2024 presidential elections and sought papal support for Venezuela’s “transition to democracy.”
Despite these developments, frustration grows among families awaiting releases. Approximately 40 relatives remained camped outside El Rodeo prison Monday, with some reporting that freed prisoners were whisked away through back exits without reuniting with waiting families. Human rights groups estimate between 800-1,200 political prisoners remain detained in Venezuela, leading UN experts to note that current release numbers “fall far short of Venezuela’s international human rights obligations.”