Political Prisoner Releases
Venezuela releases dozens of political prisoners following renewed talks between the interim government and opposition.
Anonymous
Venezuelan human rights groups reported that dozens of political prisoners were released after renewed talks between the interim government and opposition, with reports putting the total at 29 to 39 and some cases still being verified. Those freed included people held at El Rodeo I prison and dissidents detained in connection with alleged plots against the government. The releases followed diplomatic engagement involving interim President Delcy Rodríguez, the opposition and the United States; the government has described releases as part of efforts toward national reconciliation, while rights groups continue to call for all political detainees to be freed. Hundreds of people are still classified as political prisoners, and families have maintained protests demanding their release.
Key Points
1
Among those released were eight women accused of “narco-terrorism” in 2021 and six people accused of involvement with the United States in a 2020 attempt to overthrow Nicolás Maduro.
2
One freed detainee, university student Wilder Vasquez, had been sentenced to five years over an alleged 2018 plot to kill Maduro; his sentence had expired in 2023, and he had maintained his innocence.
3
The first round of talks in August addressed recovering Venezuelan funds frozen overseas to aid recovery from June earthquakes that killed more than 6,300 people, as well as reforming the judiciary.
4
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez enacted an amnesty law in February under U.S. pressure, but releases proceeded slowly.
5
Families of detainees had maintained a protest camp outside El Rodeo I for more than 250 days and said they would continue it after the latest releases.
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